Another's Take on Google+

In perusing a colleague's blog, I found he, too, had a post about Google+ that was written by a guest blogger.  Here is the first part of that article:

Do you really need Google+?

It’s a question that seems to come up often now, over a year into the service’s existence. It’s a valid one too—there are so many social media tools and marketing services out there, you have to wonder how much you really need Google+ to maintain personal and professional contacts. You probably already use Twitter, LinkedIn, and even Facebook for the entirety of your online networking and socializing needs. Where can Google+ possibly fit in among those well-established services?

Of course the answer varies depending on who you talk to. Some people still haven’t heard of Google+, others begrudgingly signed up because they were goaded into doing so from their Gmail account, and a relative few actually use the service as their go-to networking service.

Let me put this in a numerical perspective: Google+ has about 150 million active users, while Facebook boasts over 900 million. Facebook has had much more time to expand its reach, and its wild success the world over doesn’t make for a very flattering comparison to Google+. A better comparison would be with Twitter, whose official data suggests around 120 million active users. While the number of actual Twitter accounts might be many times more than that figure, the fact of the matter is that only so many people actually use those Twitter accounts. Which brings us to the original problem with Google+. 

To read the full post and to find out more about the author, please go to larrybodine.com.

Do You Want to Hangout?

Last night I was checking my Gmail when I received an instant message telling me I was invited to a "Hangout."  I knew it was a feature of Google+, but I had never experienced it before so I clicked the link and there I was on my screen (via the webcam on my laptop) along with a live video of my husband who had invited me.  Very much like Skype in that way, although the look and feel of it are quite different.  Google+ Hangouts is more than just a way to video chat.  In fact there are three main features: video chat, free video conferencing, and live broadcasting.

1) Video Chat - With the video chat feature, you can connect with up to nine people in your circles.  The live video of each of those in the hangout line up at the bottom of your screen.  You can have a group chat, turn yourself into a pirate, invite more people, share your computer screen, share and look at a Google doc, play games, complete art projects, and watch a YouTube video - all together.



2) Free Video Conferencing - Video conferencing is a great business tool, especially with it being free (for up to 10 people).  If you have a presentation that you need to share with employees in different locations, you can use this feature with little effort.  You can share a slide presentation, a Google Doc, and even create a diagram together.  Very cool.  If you have employees or clients that do not have access to a webcam, you can also include them by telephone for *FREE* in the US, and for low rates internationally.

3) Live Broadcasting - This feature is for those who want to stream their hangout live to the world.  You can stream it on your Google+ profile, your website, and on YouTube.  When the broadcast is done, it will be saved on YouTube and Google+.  Pretty neat.

Creating Circles

Google+ has a feature called "Circles."  It is a connection organization method in which you find friends and then you divide them into categories (aka "Circles").  Examples include Family, Friends, Clients, HS French Club, etc. You can name the circles whatever you want and put as few or many people in each circle as you want.  You may also place the same person in more than one circle.  I like the concept. The only thing I find a little confusing is when you have more than one Google+ page, like I do.  I have personal and business pages.  In my personal page I can find friends, but not in my business page.  Hmmm...Anyone know why?

A Profile is a Profile is a Profile is a Profile...

I have been exploring the Google+ process for setting up a profile.  In this way, Google Plus is extremely similar to Facebook.  You are inputting the same basic information and it is laid out in a similar generic format.  You also have a profile photo, can upload many photos and create albums.  One difference I like is how the look of your profile in Google+ is more concise than in Facebook.

Which one do you prefer?  Why?

Watch below to get more information on setting up a profile in Google+.

Is Google+ just another Facebook?

I was reading a document titled, The Essential Step-by-step Guide to Internet Marketing to find new marketing ideas. One recommendation this interesting document gives is to create a Google+ business page.

I had heard of Google+ but was not much interested in a Facebook look-alike. But is it? Through the next several posts, I will strive to answer that question by analyzing and then explaining different parts of the program.  Let's start off with a video overview of Google+.  

 

Remedy for the Image Conversion Blues

Have you ever uploaded an image to a program such as Constant Contact only to find that you do not have the image in the right format?  This has happened to me quite a bit.  With some work, I can usually figure out a way  to convert the image on my own, but recently I couldn't figure it out.  A two-minute internet search led me to a website that converted my BMP to a JPEG in all of 7 seconds.  The best part: IT'S FREE!!!

At CoolUtils you can find many converters; image, pdf, audio, and video, to name a few.  Bookmark this webpage for easy access and remember there is no such thing as luck!