Google+ is the new rage among social media sites today. It's being rolled out slowly through invite only and every SEO savvy person out there is chomping at the bit to get an invite. The site is Google's answer to Facebook with a little bit of Twitter thrown in. The platform has the same intentions to provide a place to share your latest happenings with friends, but they've done their homework and added features that you wished both facebook and twitter offered.
I've been playing around with it for a few days, setting up my Philadelphia circles and once I got through the newness of it I found that it is pretty easy to navigate. I think if someone was dipping their toe into the social media pool for the first time Google+ would probably be the easiest for them.
The concept seems to be based around the 'Circles' feature. This is very similar to 'Lists' that you find in both Facebook and Twitter. The difference between Circles and Lists is Facebook and Twitter developed the feature later on, while Google designed their site around the concept of circles. The Circles feature is well thought out and interacts with your activities and how you share them much more efficiently than lists.
If you already have a google account then the process is even simpler. Your Google profile will automatically be posted to your Google+ account and all your contact information will be included. The one thing you should do with Google+ when you first start is to update your privacy settings. Google+ automatically sets your page to 'public' when you first join. As you add your friends and acquaintances be sure to make that your first priority if privacy is a big concern.
Google just announced they are working on a business platform and have asked brands to forgo setting up a site with the current Google+ since it's geared more towards consumers not businesses. The platform will most likely involve Google Analytics.
So for everyone who has read that as gibberish don't let it scare you off. If you happen to get a G+ invite don't be afraid to check it out. Google has set the platform up to make it as simple as possible for you to add your content onto your page. Video's and pictures can be added just by dragging and dropping the information into the proper areas. The circles list follows the same idea. Once you added your contacts (which is just a matter of pressing the icon of the email service you use) and dragging each person into the circle you'd like them to be in.
Google+ has a status update as well which Facebook originally had but took down but readded later but in a less prominent area which in my opinion isn't the same. On Google+ you can send your status to specific people and email your status to people who are not on Google +. You can also share or email other people's status. Another feature that is very useful is the +1 feature. It is very similar to the "like" button that Facebook uses and if you notice, a +1 icon has been showing up on all your favorite webpages. When you +1 content you'd like to share it will show up on your +1 subcategory on your page. Separate pages for the stories you've found and would like to share gives it a more organized feel. In my opinion, Google+ is set up in a very visual friendly way. Most people are visual, they see things in pictures, recognize faces before they recognize a name on paper, etc. So for me personally this is a lot easier to navigate. I've just begun to explore Google + and like everyone else I'm still learning what it can do. For more information on the different features Google+ has to offer, visit their official blog and watch their video's on the their YouTube Channel. See the links below.
Also check out this Cheat Sheet for Google +.which includes a dozen language translations. Very Useful!
You can follow me at Google+ gplus.to/ChrissieT
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