Chris shares how Google+ can help small businesses and reveals the strategies he uses to get business leads. You’ll also learn how to adapt your content strategy on Google+ to select the people you want to work with.

Be sure to check out the takeaways below after you watch the video.

Here are some of the things you’ll learn in this video:

• Why Google+ changes everything
• How to get your content indexed quickly
• Discover Chris Brogan’s Google+ strategy
• How Human Business Works uses Google+ to get business leads
• Why you should share personal stories on Google+
• How to show potential clients who you are
• What content strategy to use on Google+
• How businesses can use Google+ Circles for both outbound marketing and lead generation
• When to choose Google+ privacy settings
• How Chris uses Twitter differently than Google+

Connect with Chris on Google+ and learn more about Google+ here.

Do you use Google+? If so, what’s your Google+ strategy? Please share your Google+ tips below.

We asked 12 experienced social media professionals to share their best tips on Google+ for business with you.

Here are 12 ways you can use Google+ to promote and market your business.

#1: Personalize your page URL

Ben Pickering @bpicks

Carly Simon’s 70′s hit “You’re So Vain” gave vanity a bad name. But using a so-called “vanity URL” can be a smart move when it comes to your online presence.

While Facebook allows page owners to create vanity URLs of the structure facebook.com/YourName, Google does not currently do the same.

By default, Google+ page URLs look like this: https://plus.google.com/103145815507039304597/posts. It seems likely that at some point Google will allow for personalized page URLs, but until they do, there is a service that can help.

At http://www.gplus.to/, you can create a custom URL like http://www.gplus.to/strutta, which will redirect a user to your page. This link is more user-friendly and branded for your business or organization. When it comes to branding yourself on social channels, a little vanity is OK!

Create your vanity URL for your Google+ page.

Ben Pickering, CEO of Strutta.

#2: Craft an eye-catching mini-bio for your hovercard

Mari Smith @marismith

Get creative with your “Employer” field and use that to craft an eye-catching “mini-bio.” This then shows in your hovercard, which is often the only information someone on Google+ has in front of them to decide whether to circle (follow) you or not.

Make it really easy for more people to circle you by having a bio somewhat similar to what you may have on Twitter.

The field is not obvious at first, but it’s under the “Employment” section and has to be your current employer. You have plenty of characters to write what you wish there. I would caution against writing something like “self-employed,” as shown in the screenshot below—that doesn’t really tell anyone anything about you.

I’ve written a bio similar to the one I have on Twitter and included a link—though it’s not clickable.

Don't do this.

Do provide an interesting mini-bio to appear on your hovercard.

Mari Smith, a widely-recognized social media speaker and trainer, author of The New Relationship Marketing, and coauthor of Facebook Marketing: An Hour A Day.

#3: Create a great first impression

Kristi Hines @kikolani

I think one of the most important things that businesses need to do with both their personal profiles and Google+ pages is fill out all of the details. Don’t think of Google+ as just another social profile. Think about it as your first contact point with a new client.

With that in mind, make sure you have a great description in your introduction, all of your contact details, and links to your most important online properties including your website, top pages on your website (products or services), blog and main social profiles (Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn). Also be sure to use the photostrip underneath your headline to display the photos that best represent you and your brand.

Add a compelling description and all useful contact information.

Kristi Hines, author of the popular blog, Kikolani.

#4: Promote your Google+ page

Debbie Hemley @dhemley

It’s important to remember to promote your Google+ page from your website and other online presences. A recent BrightEdge study  found that of the world’s top 100 brands that had scurried to create a Google+ business page, 61 of them had not displayed a link from their website to their new Google+ page.

Businesses should tap into features such as Google Badges. To do this, you need to sign up at the Google+ Platform Preview and then create and customize your badge at the Google+ configuration tool page. The page will generate a script that you’ll code into your website to enable and display the badge.

Check out Social Media Examiner's Google+ badge in the sidebar to the right.

I’d also suggest adding the +1 button to your company’s website or blog, which allows visitors to recommend it with a single click. HubSpot reported that websites that use Google’s +1 button generated 3.5 times more traffic from Google+ than websites that don’t have the button installed.

You can read more about my tips in my post, “The Marketer’s Field Guide to Google Plus Business Pages.”

Debbie Hemley, social media consultant and blogger.

#5: Create a suggested circles list

Jeff Korhan @jeffkorhan

My favorite Google+ marketing tip is to create a prioritized list of suggested circles you should be placed in at the top of the About tab of your profile page, both for your business and personal profiles.

Visitors can then quickly and easily determine your business focus, which will encourage further exploration of your descriptive bio or company introduction, and lead to more connections.

Jeff gives his audience suggestions on where to place him.

Jeff Korhan, professional speaker, consultant and columnist on new media and small business marketing.

#6: Leverage photos to connect with your audience

Jamie Turner @AskJamieTurner

If you’re like a lot of people, you’re using Google+ as a tool to build awareness for you or your business. If that’s the case, you may want to update your Google+ profile to include photos that provide helpful facts and figures about your industry.

In my case, I wanted to provide my Google+ followers information about social, mobile and digital media. I did this by creating graphics that were 720 x 720 pixels and uploading them to a scrapbook on my Google+ profile.

Check out how Jamie used the Google+ photo feature.

The result is that visitors to my profile are greeted by 5 short factoids about marketing. This is helpful to my followers and also positions me as a thought leader in the industry.

Jamie Turner, co-author of How to Make Money with Social Media and Founder of the 60 Second Marketer.

#7: Establish your presence and wait for your audience

Nichole Kelly @Nichole_Kelly

Depending on what business you’re in, it’s quite possible that your audience isn’t actively using Google+ yet. This represents both a challenge and an opportunity.

The challenge is to find time to be engaging and relevant on yet another social network. The opportunity is for you to establish yourself as a thought leader in a space where your competition may not be actively participating.

To balance resource constraints with opportunity, I recommend that businesses establish their presence and listen for openings to engage. When you start seeing your audience adopting Google+, take the time to recognize what they like about the platform that they aren’t getting on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn.

Rather than trying to figure out how to do everything on Google+ that you’re doing on other social networks, look for how Google+ can help your business fill a unique need for your audience and build a strategy around that.

Nichole Kelly, publisher of FullFrontalROI.com.

#8: Get to know your audience on Google+

Stephanie Gehman @airport_girl

When considering your content for the Google+ platform, remember that although there may be some overlap with other social media, this is a new and different platform and potentially an entirely new and different audience.

Get to know them by asking questions, polling, sharing content and interacting. Do not presume that what works for your business on more established social channels such as Twitter and Facebook will have a cookie-cutter fit with your Google+ audience. Tailor your message and content to their needs.

Stephanie Gehman, marketing manager for Harrisburg International Airport in Pennsylvania.

#9: Use brand micro-circles for repeat business

Carla Dewing @CarlaDewing

To get the most out of Google+, concentrate on creating circles on a micro level. Work on a business-by-business basis, adding names to client businesses and brands, each of which has their own circle. You can also add names to “influencer” circles, which will help you connect with people in your field whom you want to meet online.

Using Google+ as a business knowledge base improves communication with your clients and your project management ability as you chat, video-conference and connect with new people through these micro circles.

Segmentation and attention are often vital when you’re shooting for repeat business. Google+ has handed you a way to do this neatly and efficiently, without having to use multiple platforms or media!

Carla Dewing, content marketing expert and part-owner of Contrast Media.

#10: Capitalize on Google+ search to show you’re there

Jason Miller @JasonMillerCA

Search Google+ for mentions of your brand and industry-related keywords. Save your searches and they will appear on your left sidebar for quick reference. Monitor your saved searches daily and respond to mentions, comment on threads and reshare people’s posts.

Use the Google+ search feature and save your searches.

Even if you have nothing to say, a +1 lets them know that you’re paying attention, as a great social brand should be.

Jason Miller, Programs Manager, Social Media & Content at Marketo.

#11: Use Google+ hangouts to communicate with customers

Tom Martin @TomMartin

Brands should be looking forward to hanging out on Google+.That’s right. No key benefit required, just communication. The power of the hangout is truly (for me at least) THE big differentiator of Google+ over other social platforms.

Need some insight into how consumers are thinking? Ship a bunch of them a bag of M&M’s and a calendar appointment for your next focus group.

Want to make your consumers feel special? Call them with an invitation to hang out with someone interesting: your CEO, a famous spokesperson or maybe the head of product development. No script, no questions. Just a chance to talk with someone they’d really like to meet.

Invite your customers to hang out with you and make it interesting.

Or best of all, be the campfire that your customers want to visit and teach your customer (who probably doesn’t have a clue about Google+, much less a hangout) how they can get on Google+ and join a hangout to meet with other like-minded folks and make new friends who share a common interest. The list can go on and on, but suffice it to say, the ability to create real-time, multi-user video chats is ripe for innovative marketing.

Tom Martin, founder of Converse Digital.

#12: Join others’ hangouts

Marc Pitman @marcapitman

If you’re really going to learn how to effectively use hangouts, you’ll need to participate in some (as a person, not really as a marketer). Taking the time to learn the norms of hangouts will make your first hangout as a business far more successful. If you use the Chrome browser, there’s a plugin called “Hangout Canopy” that allows you to see what live hangouts are happening at any given moment. (Go here for more on how to hold a hangout.)

Marc Pitman, author and speaker dedicated to making it ridiculously easy for people to get nonprofit fundraising training.

What’s your experience with Google+? What marketing tips do you have to share? Please share your questions and comments in the box below.

He has a unique experience with both Facebook and Google.

Jesse shares insights behind Google+ and how it compares to Facebook. You’ll discover what Google is doing, how Google+ is different and why Google+ is a social media powerhouse.

Be sure to check out the takeaways below after you watch the video.

Here are some of the things you’ll learn in this video:

• How Google’s focus on Google+ impacts social media
• What Google is getting right and what their biggest challenge is
• How Facebook’s approach is different
• Tips to get your Google+ strategy right
• Discover the opportunity today for businesses on Google+
• Why you need to group your audience into different Circles on Google+
• How mobile impacts Google+

Connect with Jesse on Twitter @Jesse and check out Jesse’s Google+ For Dummies Facebook Page and blog.

Are you on Google+? What tips do you have to share on using Google+ for business? Please leave them below.

In this interview we talked about Google+, why it’s different and what it means to businesses. We also talked about the mobile side of Google+, where Google might be headed and much more.

Mike: Jesse, let’s start with why Google+? What makes it unique? Why should people consider it when they’ve already got Facebook accounts and Twitter accounts and LinkedIn and beyond?

Jesse: A lot of people are probably wondering, “My friends and family are all on Facebook, so why should I be joining Google+?”

The answer is really Google itself. There’s a good chance that you use at least one Google product, at least their search, if not Gmail or Google Reader. I use Blogger.com, Android and Google Maps. There is a whole slew of Google products that you’ve probably touched in some way or another.

Google+ is intended to be the amalgamation of all of those products into one product that ties people together across all of Google.

Right now, at a minimum, if you sign up for Google+ and you visit Gmail, for instance, you’ll have a little bar at the top of the screen that lists your email address. Right next to it, it will show you your Google+ notifications, and then there’s a little Share button next to it. If you click the Share button, you can update Google+ right from within Gmail without ever having to leave Gmail.

Mike: Let me clarify what I hear you saying. Everybody probably uses some Google product in some capacity, whether it’s Google Search, Google Calendar, Google News—or who knows what else Google has that people don’t even think twice about.

Because they’re already using all these things, the fact is that Google+ is integrated into it, so they don’t really need (like Facebook needs) pull mechanisms that get you back in. At least in its early days, you had Facebook constantly emailing you every time something happened.

Google owns all of these platforms, so it makes a lot of sense, I guess, to work where you work anyway. Is that the mentality behind this?

Jesse: Yes, that’s exactly it. One example is right now if I do a search on Google, it’s probably launching for different people at different times. On many of the articles that get returned on Google, I see little icons of my friends and faces of my friends that have also +1-ed those articles before. So they’re already bringing that social experience into their existing products. Even into their flagship product, search. They’re already starting to find ways to bring Google+ into that.

Mike: Do you have any recent stats on the adoption rate of Google+?

Jesse: Google+ hasn’t really officially announced any numbers per se, at least not recently. But the numbers I’m seeing from at least some of the data mining that some of my friends are doing, they’re counting probably in the range of about 50 million users right now. This is pretty high, considering they just launched, I think, about two months ago.

Mike: That’s phenomenal! The reason I think Google+ is here to stay has to do with that little red box with the number in it. I know it seems like such a subtle little thing, but the fact that Google was smart enough to animate this little box so that every time you happen across a Google property, that little number flies across the screen like a slot machine almost and lets you know there have been updates. I think that is almost impossible to ignore, don’t you agree?

Jesse: In fact, it takes some practice to learn to ignore it. That’s what I’ve had to do because I get so many. For those people who don’t get as many as I do, it lures you in. It pulls you in and you don’t even have to be on Google+ to see that. You can be on Gmail, you can be on Google Calendar, you can be on any number of Google sites and that little red box is still there and it follows you wherever you go on any of Google’s products.

Mike: And I think that’s the brilliance that’s going to keep people coming back into the system because they may not normally have remembered to ever go back, but that will bring them in. In Chapter 7 of Google+ for Dummies, you talk about social etiquette. How does the etiquette on Google+ vary, if at all, from the other networks? What’s been your experience?

Jesse: It’s a slightly different network with slightly different technology, so it is going to have a slightly different etiquette.

There are a few things that I’ve seen.

For instance, right now on Google+, you can tag other people, which you can kind of do on Facebook. But when you tag people on Google+, it is a little more in your face in many ways because of that notification bar that follows you around. You have to be a little more careful when you tag someone on Google+ versus elsewhere because there’s a good chance they’re going to see that tag, and tags can end up getting annoying if you’re doing it too much.

Mike: Because Google+ has a lot of different granular privacy controls, I’ve found, for me, that a lot of people do not get email notifications, except if they’ve been @tagged. And I’ve found that when you’re having a discussion, it seems to me as though @tagging the person in particular in a thread seems to be the going etiquette. You @tag the person you’re referring to and not just type in their first name. Have you found that to be the case?

Jesse: That seems to be the culture right now. It does give them a little extra layer of notification, but I haven’t seen too many people complain about that.

Mike: This is really good stuff, Jesse. Given that Google+ owns the world’s biggest search engine, what kind of impact do you think Google+ and +1 are likely to have on search results?

Jesse: Right now, when you do a search and you’ve enabled Google+, you’ll see different search results. If you have more people you’ve Circled, you’re more likely to see content from them than if you haven’t Circled many people.

That’s very powerful because it means that if you get your content into Google+, your content is more likely to be visible and noticeable to people. Even if your content isn’t the first result on Google, I predict that if your content has a lot of people +1-ing it who are in a person’s Circles, there’s a good chance that your content will still be noticed. So it has a huge effect, I think.

Mike: Facebook has a social graph and maybe Google has something similar. The reason I’m asking is because I notice that when I’m logged into Google, I see different search results than when I’m logged out of Google.

I’m wondering whether you think that with Google+, somehow it’s going to look at my network of friends and the kinds of content they’re looking at? If so, and you and I Google the same thing, like “Facebook marketing,” would that change the results for both of us?

Jesse: Google has tracked some of that already. Right now, if you’re logged into Google via Gmail or any other Google product, it by default keeps you logged in when you’re searching.

When you search, it does factor in little things it has detected—things that you searched for in the past and things that you have shown interest in. Google tracks some factors of that. They don’t expose exactly what that is, but there are elements that they are tracking with that.

That will increase in the future the more your friends are brought into the process. Already, I’ve seen even Twitter friend lists brought into this. Facebook friend lists I think also are included in this.

Google’s value is giving you the most relevant search results, so they’re very interested—no matter what site you visit, no matter where you go and no matter what you search for—in figuring out who you are and what you’re interested in. I think even more in the future, what your friends are interested in will affect your search results.

I think all of that factors into search and you’ll see even more of it in the future.

Mike: Jesse, there are hundreds of millions of people walking around with iPhones, Androids, iPads and other kinds of devices. How does Google+ measure up on the mobile front?

Jesse: I think right now they’re doing fairly well. It doesn’t come by default with Android yet, but it’s pretty easy to download at the moment, and it integrates really well with the Android experience. Android, as an operating system, is the most widely used operating system of smartphones right now. As a result, it has the potential to be huge on mobile.

Mike: The iPad is a different story, though.

Jesse: The iPad is a different story—they need to update their tablet experience and I don’t think they’ve put much focus on that yet.

When you look at it, mobile is a very social experience—taking pictures and archiving the things that are happening around you, your location, and stuff like that. That’s all very interesting to your friends. As a result, I think mobile is potentially the future of Google+. I think that’s where most people will end up using it in the future if they’re not already.

Mike: Let’s talk about apps a little bit; which I know is something near and dear to your heart. Are there apps for Google+? Is there going to come a day where there might be something like iFrame going on with Google+? What’s your take on the whole apps frontier with Google+?

Jesse: Google+ just launched an API—a platform for building those apps. It’s very limited at the moment in what you can and can’t do. It has rate limits (the amount of times you can query the Google APIs to access) applied to it that are very strict, so you’re not going to see many apps right out of the gate.

The focus right now is on integrating into third-party websites, integrating into browser plugins, and stuff like that, so you’re not going to see apps that integrate right on top of Google+ like you’ve seen with FarmVille on Facebook and other things that happen on Facebook.com.

Mike: When it comes to scheduling, and HootSuite and all of these other things that are out there, is the API that’s been released recently going to be working with these kinds of third-party management apps, likely?

Jesse: Are you talking about TweetDeck and others?

Mike: Yes, and HootSuite and SocialOomph and all those other things.

Jesse: In terms of those, the potential is there. Again, the problem right now is API rate limits. That may inhibit some of those types of apps from working with Google+.

I anticipate in the future that those types of apps will be available and you will see them integrate with Google+. I think the Google+ API has to evolve a little bit before that happens, though.

Mike: Let’s talk about Google Analytics and Google+. Do you see a connection there? Is there any kind of future? Do you see somehow Google Analytics and Google+ having some sort of marriage down the road that might be useful for the consumer or the business or the marketer?

Jesse: Oh, definitely. I think there’s a huge future for Google Analytics and Google+. Google Analytics has already started integrating social components into the Analytics software.

I don’t doubt that they probably will include Google+ with those stats in some form in the future.

Google hasn’t hinted at any of this, so it’s hard to say one way or the other, but there’s a very good chance, I think, you’ll see Google+ in Google Analytics.

If you have a +1 button on your website or you’ve incorporated that into different websites, it will include that data in there already. That is part of Google+, so you’re right, they actually are including that already in some of the Google Analytics. I anticipate that to be expanded even further in the future.

Mike: Looking down the road, let’s say two years from now, how do you think Google+ is going to change the landscape of social media?

Jesse: It’s tough to see at this point. I think it has incredibly strong potential—the fact that Google is behind it and that it’s going to cross every product that Google owns.

Google is even talking about removing features from products and removing other products entirely as a result of moving focus towards Google+. They’re releasing new features of Google+ every single week. It’s a very focused team that’s working very hard beyond their 40 hours a week to make a powerful product.

Mike: My last question for you, Jesse, is about your book. Where can people find out more about you and your book? Where do you want to send them?

Jesse: If they just go to Amazon and search for “Google+” or “Google+ for Dummies,” it’s one of the only books out right now for Google+. There are few personal books, and I think Chris Brogan is also writing a book targeting businesses as well. But beyond that, this is the first book that’s published by a major publisher out there, so just search for “Google+” or “Google+ for Dummies,” on Amazon and you should be able to find it there.

The short URL, www.stay.am/gplusdummies, will also take you right to the Amazon page.

Mike: And if people want to learn more about you?

Jesse: We have a Facebook page as well. The target audience of this is really Facebook users who are trying to learn what this new thing is, so we actually created a Facebook page for it: www.Facebook.com/googleplusportable.

I’ll give you my profile ID. It’s http://profiles.google.com/jessestay. You can find me on Google+ that way too.

Mike: I strongly recommend you pick up a copy of Google+ for Dummies, Portable Edition. I was fortunate enough to see a very early draft of this book and it’s really very well-written and very enlightening.

Google+ is definitely different than anything we’ve seen. It’s got similarities to Facebook, of course, but it’s got its own unique things that make a book like this very valuable, and I strongly recommend it.

Jesse, thank you so much for taking your time to talk with me today.

Jesse: Thank you so much for the opportunity, Mike. I really appreciate it.

Listen to our complete extended interview below to hear more about Jesse’s view of Google+ and why it’s different and unique.

Click here to download MP3.

What do you think of Jesse’s view of Google+ and what it means to business? Leave your questions and comments in the box below.

Google describes Hangouts as a “front porch.”

Anyone can drop in and say “hi” just like anyone could drop by when you’re on your porch.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=QN38vHZjWXw

3 Reasons to Consider a Google Hangout

Your prospects are already here! Video conferencing has been available for a while, but Google+ Hangouts takes it to where people are.

Here are some ways you can use Hangouts:

#1: Part of the sales process: You could invite people who are already in your sales pipeline to hang out. Not to put a high-pressure sales speech on them. Just to further the relationship.

To make it more intriguing for people to join, try naming the Hangout “Overcoming _________,” where the blank is filled in with a key problem you know your prospects tend to have.

#2: Office hours: College professors have standing office hours—times students can be sure to see them at their desk. Why don’t you? You could set up a standing weekly or monthly Hangout as a way to increase customer service or to keep in touch with your staff.

#3: Fireside chats: Everyone seems to want time with the CEO, so why not give it? “Town hall”–style conference calls have been popular in recent years, but they are conducted over the phone. What if you were to set up a standing quarterly time for people to actually hear from your CEO? And more than hear, they’ll be able to see and interact.

Hangouts could be used by colleges to communicate with incoming students, or alumni, or even current students or their parents. Or you could use this as a way for your board and investors to interact with the CEO between meetings. If you have a circle of “investors” and only invite them, they should be the only ones who see the invitation.

This is an incredibly efficient use of your CEO’s time: she doesn’t have to leave her desk. No travel time means she can be doing work right up to the Hangout time and start back up when it’s done.

3 Steps to Start a Hangout

#1: Push the “Start a Hangout” button: Starting a Hangout is as easy as clicking on the “Start a Hangout” button on the right side of your Google+ profile!

Click on the button.

#2: Check your hair: The kind folks at Google even give you a virtual green room so you can check your hair before you go live!

That's me looking into my web camera.

#3: Invite cool people: Hangouts are only as good as the people who join you on them! So even if you make your Hangout public (open to anyone), be sure to invite individual people too.

And then you’re ready to go live with your Hangout! The Hangout shows up on your timeline, and the timeline of those who have you in their Circles.

Google+ posts your Hangout on your live feed to everyone in the Circles you've invited.

In the Hangout

Here’s a video showing you exactly how to start a Hangout and what to do when you’re in there.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSsO6hiozlY

Once you’ve started the Hangout, you still have lots of controls. Along the bottom you have a series of buttons.

You have lots of control in the Hangout: inviting new people, chatting, choosing videos on YouTube and controlling your sound and video.

#1: Invite: While in a Hangout, you always have the option to invite new people. Just click on the “Invite” button on the far left to include individual people or entire Circles.

#2: Chat: Have you ever tried to share a web URL over the phone? It can be pretty challenging. The Chat feature is a great way to share web links and other information during a Hangout. Once you click on the “Chat” button, you’ll see the chat window for the rest of your time in the Hangout.

#3: YouTube: Google has already integrated YouTube videos into Hangouts. So now you can use the “YouTube” button to share a promotional video from your company or a video that illustrates a point. Find a cool video before you’re in a Hangout? Google now lets you start a Hangout right from YouTube.

#4: Volume and Video Controls: If you work at home or in a busy work space, the buttons on the right are very helpful! You can use “mute video” to turn your camera on and off whenever you want. Most people never use this but it is a nice feature.

The “Mute Mic” button allows you to turn off your mic. So if you get a call or someone pops into your office, you can still listen to the Hangout without him having to hear you.

And the “Settings” button allows you even more control. If you have more than one mic or camera, you can choose which one you want to use in the Hangout. And you can choose the “Echo Cancellation” option. That will allow you to use your computer’s built-in mic and speakers without bugging the rest of the Hangout participants!

There is a lot going on in a Hangout!

3 Things to Fine-Tune

#1: Your costume: If you’re using Google+ for business, you’ll need to decide how you’ll dress for a Hangout. When I speak, I wear bowties. Bowties are all over my social media avatars. But I don’t wear bowties 24/7.

I often work from a home office, so I have to consciously choose whether to don a bowtie or simply hang out in a t-shirt.

I chose to hangout in a t-shirt.

#2: Your background: What people see behind you is as important as the face they see. Do you want your business logo to show behind you? Or do you like the clean look of a blank wall?

Some people have found my office to be ideal: the books and degrees in the background speak of my commitment to lifelong learning. (I honestly hadn’t even picked up on that!)

In the picture someone took of a Hangout I was on, you’ll see that I have a trade show banner with my company name on it. Since I wasn’t in a bowtie, I wanted people to remember what I did.

#3: Your purpose: Are you just experimenting with a Hangout? Or are you holding a team meeting? Different purposes have different outcomes.

Google+ is still new enough that I’ve found it more effective to let people know I’ll be holding a Hangout so they can be on Google+ when I share the invitation. Starting a Hangout and having no-one show up is like having your tray of food in the high school cafeteria and wondering if anyone will let you sit next to them. It can feel a bit lonely.

Fortunately, Google has added a wonderful feature. Now, if no-one shows up for your Hangout, they remove the Hangout from your timeline. So you don’t have an embarrassing post saying you hung out with “0 people.”

Some Closing Thoughts on Google+ Hangouts

We all know that people only purchase from us when they know, like and trust us. That used to mean we needed to go to a lot of conferences to meet people. But a tool like Google+ Hangouts can help you do the interacting right from your desk. And as Google rolls out the ability to broadcast Hangouts, you’ll be able to extend your reach beyond the 10 people in the Hangout.

And as you do more Hangouts, and capture more images from those Hangouts, your company will stand out. People will know you’re approachable.

As I was writing this article, I popped in to a Hangout. A Google employee joined us as we were chatting, so we got to ask him lots of questions.

Why wouldn’t you take up this opportunity? The only thing it costs is time.

What do you think? How are you using Hangouts? Leave your questions and comments in the box below.

In this article I show you how to set up your Google+ page and provide examples.

If you haven’t already created a personal Google+ profile for yourself, you’ll need to do that first (you cannot simply sign up a business page from the main Google+ signup screen).

Check out the How to Get Started With Google+ for more on personal Google+ profiles.

If you do have a personal profile, here’s how to create a page for your business.

Visit Create a Page on Google+ to begin, and follow the steps below to get started with Google+ pages.

Pick a category

Pick a category for your Google+ page to fall under.

The first step in getting started creating your Google+ page is to choose from the following five main categories.

#1: Local Business or Place

Local Business or Place includes any local business—hotels, restaurants, places, stores or services. If you choose this category, you will be asked for the country in which your business is located and the primary phone number.

If Google finds a matching result in Google Places with your phone number, it will use this information for your Google+ profile. If not, you can add your business info to Google and continue.

Add your local business information to Google+.

#2: Product or Brand

Examples given by Google+ of pages that would fit under Product or Brand include apparel, cars, electronics and financial services.

Add your Product or Brand info and choose the most applicable category.

Here, you would enter your page name and website, and choose an applicable category which includes anything from Aerospace and Defense to a Website, or you can simply choose Brand, Other, Product or Service.

#3: Company, Institution or Organization

The next category, Company, Institution or Organization includes pages for companies, institutions, organizations and non-profits or similar entities. Here you also enter your page name and website, and choose an applicable category with the same options as a Product or Brand page, or you can simply choose Company, Institution, Organization or Other.

#4: Arts, Entertainment or Sports

Pages for movies, TV, music, books, sports and shows are considered a good fit for the Arts, Entertainment or Sports section. Again, you will enter your page name and website, and choose an applicable category—this time with options ranging from Album to Website, or you can simply choose Entertainment, Other or Sports.

#5: Other

If you don’t feel your page fits in any of the above-mentioned categories, you can simply select Other, where you can enter your page name and website without any additional narrowing of category selection.

For pages in any category, you must also choose whether your page’s content is suitable for any Google+ user, users 18 or older, users 21 or older or specifically note that the content will be alcohol-related. Then you will tick boxes to opt-in to updates for Google+ pages and agree to terms and conditions to continue.

Determine the appropriate age group for your page to be visible to based on content.

Be sure to actually check out the Google+ Additional Terms of Service to see their notes on Authority, Access, Content, Data, Contests and Suspension & Termination.

Customize Your Page’s Public Profile

Once you’ve selected your page’s category, you can start customizing your page’s public profile.

#1: Add Your Profile Photo and Tagline

First, you will be asked to add your tagline (the 10 words that best describe your page) and your page’s profile photo.

Add your Google+ page’s tagline and profile photo.

After you have added these items and clicked on Continue, you will be asked to spread the word about your new page through your personal Google+ profile. If you’re not ready yet (which you probably aren’t, since you haven’t completed your profile), click on Finish to be taken to your new page.

#2: Editing Your Page Information

Once you’ve perused your page’s welcome screen, you will want to edit your page’s information. Go to your page’s profile by clicking on the Profile icon at the top, left of the Search Google+ box. Then go to your About tab and Edit Profile.

Edit information for your profile’s About section.

Here you will be able to click on everything from your page name to your links to enter relevant information about your page within Introduction, Hours (for local businesses or places), Website and Contact Info (phone, email, Skype, etc.). Also be sure to enter additional links to your page in the Introduction section using the Link button and under Recommended Links to link to your other social profiles, blog, blog posts and so on. Keep in mind important keywords for your business – if you are a digital marketing agency, be sure to include digital marketing in your profile.

#3: Adding Your Photostrip

Last but not least when it comes to your Google+ page design is filling in your photostrip. These five photos will be displayed underneath your page’s name and tagline.

Add photos that best represent your page in your photostrip beneath your page name and tagline.

It’s similar to the five photos you can have on your Facebook page. While editing your profile, click on the photo area where it says “add photos here” and upload a photo in each of the five photo spots. You can use different photos that represent your business or creatively cut one photo into five pieces and spread it across the area.

Congratulations! Your Google+ Page Is Ready.

Once your profile is ready, you can start posting to your profile by adding status updates, links, photos and videos just like you do on your personal Google+ profile. I would suggest writing a post or two before you use the “Spread the word” option in your right sidebar to announce your page to your personal profile connections.

Following and Engaging With Your Fans

So what’s the difference between a Google+ page and a Facebook page? The big one I’ve noticed so far is the fact that you can follow your page’s fans back and add them to Circles.

To find out who has added your page to their Circle, you can check your Notifications under Stream in the left sidebar. You can also look under your Circles > People who’ve added you area by clicking on the Circles icon.

Follow your Google+ page’s fans by moving them into Circles.

In this screen, you can drag your fans into one or more of the four default circles.

• Team Members—The people you will share the inside scoop with. This could be a great way to share company news with only the people you want to see it.
• VIPs—Your most loyal customers and closest partners.
• Customers—All the people or organizations you want to build deeper relationships with. You could possibly use this Circle to send out special discounts and promotions!
• Following—People you don’t know personally but whose posts you find interesting.

Just as you can with your personal profile, you can also create new Circles.

There are a lot of ways you can successfully use your custom Circles for marketing and messaging, such as creating Circles of fans in a specific location and sharing updates with them about geo-specific offers.

Universities can create Circles for professors, alumni, undergraduate, graduate and prospective students and then share updates with them about news related to their current status with the university. The possibilities are endless.

This also means you can follow your fans’ updates, comment on your fans’ status messages, and +1 their updates as your page. The functionality for a Facebook fan page to interact with a personal profile on Facebook isn’t there, but it is in Google+. Your fans will even see your interaction with their updates in their notifications!

Google+ users will see your page’s interactions with their profiles in their notifications.

This, in my opinion, is going to be a very powerful way for businesses or brands to communicate with their audiences.

For example, if there is a complaint, the Google+ page can reply publicly on their page, and then privately to the Google+ user by sending a status update directly to them. With Facebook pages, the page can only reply on the wall update but not directly communicate with the Facebook user.

Connecting Your Google+ Page to Your Website

You can connect your website to your Google+ page using the Google+ badge configuration tool. Currently only the icons are available, but official badges are coming soon.

Connecting your Google+ page to your website.

Regardless of whether you want to add a badge to your website, you will want to connect your Google+ page to your website simply for the search benefits.

Google+ Direct Connect will allow visitors to find your Google+ page and add it to their Circles, directly from Google search results. To do this, simply add the following code between the <head> </head> tags on your website.

<link href="{plusPageUrl}" rel="publisher" />

Replace {plusPageUrl} with your Google+ page URL. Then visitors will be able to add your Google+ page to Circles simply through their search results.

7 Google+ Page Examples

If you’re in need of some creative inspiration, here are a few established Google+ pages for social media enthusiasts.

#1: Social Media Examiner

Social Media Examiner’s page gains instant popularity on Google+.

A list of great Google+ pages would be incomplete without Social Media Examiner!

#2: Social Media Explorer

Social Media Explorer’s Google+ page uses photostrip images to convey education.

Social Media Explorer‘s page marries its tagline of education and information perfectly with its photostrip images.

#3: Mashable

Mashable was one of the first brands to put its presence on Google+.

Mashable appeared, then shortly disappeared in the early days of Google+, but has once again emerged.

#4: Search Engine Land

Search Engine Land breaks the latest news about Google+.

Although its focus may be search marketing, Search Engine Land also offers extensive social media coverage, especially when Google+ is concerned.

#5: HootSuite

HootSuite uses its Google+ photostrip to represent a worldwide user base.

HootSuite displays its diversity through a variety of expressive icons in the photostrip.

#6: Google+

Google+ positions its page as an authority for its own network.

Another page that is a must-have for any list of Google+ pages is that of Google+ itself.

#7: Twitter

Twitter is just starting up its presence on Google+.

Although it isn’t active yet, Twitter is on the ball by creating a brand page on Google+.

What Are Your Thoughts on Google+ Pages?

Have you begun experimenting with Google+ pages for your website, brand or business? Please let us know your experience so far, additional tips you would like to share with those getting started and the best Google+ pages you’ve seen thus far!

What’s New This Week?

Google+ Introduces New Features: Check out what’s new on Google+:

• What’s Hot: this allows you to easily find interesting and unexpected content.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcgCtYOkxhk

• Google+ Ripples: this is a new visualization tool for public shares and comments. See how Google+ updates get shared below.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=_j0I1a_Aw4g

• Google+ Creative Kit: you can now have more fun editing your photos. See how here:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=RipLoAUUDjc

Google Launches GoMo: This new Google initiative helps businesses create a mobile-friendly site.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ja7abx3OPOQ

Google Apps Turns on Google+ for Organizations: Google Apps users can now turn on Google+ for their organization.

Google Apps users will also have the option to share with everyone in their organization, even if those people are not in their circles.

Anti-Facebook Social Network “Unthink” Launches to Public: Unthink “is an all-in-one social media platform that enables you to connect with the world around you and collaborate with others to bring the change you want to see in the world.”

Unthink is "a community with a shared way of thinking."

Here are a couple of social media tools worth noting:

Vizify: A tool for insights into your results on Twitter which gives you an instant infographic based on your Twitter activity.

Discover your top Twitter content, keenest followers, geographic influence and more.

PROskore: a tool for professionals to measure their reputation.

Check out this new measuring tool.

And don’t miss this:

Social Media Examiner presents Small Business Success Summit 2011! (online conference)

Join 25 experts, including including John Jantsch (author, Duct Tape Marketing), Anita Campbell (founder, Small Business Trends), Michael Stelzner (founder, Social Media Examiner and author, Launch), Mari Smith (co-author, Facebook Marketing), Jesse Stay (author, Google+ for Dummies), Hollis Thomases (author, Twitter Marketing), David Siteman Garland (founder, “The Rise to the Top” and author, Faster, Smarter, Cheaper), Joe Pulizzi (founder, Content Marketing Institute and co-author, Get Content, Get Customers), Brian Clark (founder, Copyblogger Media), Lee Odden (founder, TopRank Online Marketing), Ramon Ray (founder, Small Biz Technology and author, Technology Solutions for Growing Businesses) and Lewis Howes (co-author, LinkedWorking)—just to mention a few (scroll down to see full list)!

Go here to learn more.

What social media news caught your interest this week? Please share your comments below.

If you’re looking for easy ways to improve your knowledge and experience with this hot new social network, keep reading.

The fast-paced development of Google+ has become a force to be reckoned with. Social media marketers and community managers will undoubtedly feel the pressure to keep up.

In this post, I’ll share 20 tips and resources to help you keep learning about Google+ and ways to enhance your user experience.

#1: First things first: Get started with Google+

On July 5, SME blogger Kristi Hines published one of the most comprehensive How to Get Started guides for Google+. The post has literally helped thousands of people get started on the platform and if you weren’t an early adopter, it’s not too late!

This post will provide you with the basics you need to know to create your profile, add connections, create circles, tweak settings, set notifications, see a stream of updates from your connections, give a +1 to your favorite posts, send updates, chat with friends, get a feed from Sparks and access Google+ on your mobile device.

The essential, nuts-and-bolts guide to Google+.

#2: Engage and learn

Engage in the conversation about Google+ by searching for “Google Plus tips” on Twitter. Too many to read all at once? No problem, you can save the search and return to it a later time. When you’re ready, pull down the “search” tab on your Twitter profile to access your saved search.

Search, save and retweet Google+ tips

#3: Watch and learn

Watch videos about Google+ on YouTube. The search illustrated below, for example, found 10,600 results for videos about Google+. Recent videos posted include Is Google+ Killing Anonymity?, Google+Games, The Google+Song,  Google+:The Potential of the Newest Social Network, Google+Invite links on Facebook.

An abundance of Google+ videos can be found on YouTube.

#4: Use Google+ Help

Utilize Google+ Help and learn about Google+ from the people who created it.

For example, how to upload and share photos, how to hang out, circles and privacy and keep up with what’s new in Google+ with releases being made regularly.

What do you want to learn about Google+?

#5: Spark interest on Google+

Set up a “Google+” Sparks on your Google+ account and see timely posts all about Google+.

I found these interesting links on my “Google+” Spark. Sparks make it really easy to find what you’re looking for: How Google+ will succeed and why you’ll use it whether you want to or not, Google’s Bradley Horowitz Discusses State of Google+ with Tim O’Reilly, The Sekrit Circles of Google+.

Interested in Google+? Add it to your Sparks for easy access.

#6: Become a voracious Google+ reader

Keep up with newly released and forthcoming Google+ book titles on Amazon. You’ll be pleasantly surprised to see that there are already a number of books available on Kindle and some slated to be released in paperback and hardcover this fall.

Extra, extra! Read all about it!

#7: Keep it simple

Print out and share the Google+ Cheat Sheet to help you format posts, utilize hotkeys, know all about mentioning people in your posts, sending private messages and accessing permalinks.

A must-have resource for Google+ users.

#8: Become a Google+ insider

Check out the G+ Insider’s Guide for the latest news, tips and tricks on Google+. Currently there’s a list of 13 how-to posts to “introduce you to hidden quirks.”

A resource for Google+ how-to's.

#9: Have an out-of-this-world Google+ experience

Read Google+Planet to stay on top of new features. Posts include info about the new +1 button features and +snippets, hangouts now integrate with YouTube and an announcement about games coming to Google+.

The unofficial Google+ blog.

#10: Become a savvy Google+ user

Sign up to preview the latest updates to the Google+ platform before they are launched to the general public. If you’re going to be the go-to person in your business for Google+, this will be an important sign-up for you.

Be among the first to preview Google+ updates.

#11: Throw around a few figures and stats

Stay abreast of Google+ Social Statistics.  You can see who the top 100 Google+ people are and even track your own Google+ statistics, search for people on Google+ and see a list of the hottest Google+ posts from the past 24 hours.

A plethora of detailed statistics on Google+ users.

#12: Be part of a Q & A

Read the Google+ Q & As on Quora, including 11 best questions, 277 open questions, frequently asked questions and tips for marketing on Google+.

A great resource for curious Google+ users.

#13: Show off your Google+ profile

Promote your Google+ account by putting the Google+ Widget on your blog or website.

Install the Google+ Widget (user statistics are available within 48 hours).

#14: Get Google+ Facebook

Connect Google+ to Facebook by adding the Facebook Stream to your Google+ profile.

See your Facebook stream inside Google+.

#15: Use Mobile

Get Google+ for Mobile. You can send a text message to your phone with a link and receive instructions on how to get started.

Use Google+ on the go.

#16: Use Google+ Tweet

Integrate Twitter with Google+.

View your timeline, URL shortening, photo sharing and more.

#17: Become socially active on Google+

Find Google+ Groups and submit your profile to a group. For example, you can find a group of social media marketers or social media smarties.

Expand your Google+ reach.

#18: Find out who’s who on Google+

Find a selection of popular user-curated lists on Google+. You can search, find popular lists, create your own lists and see a hall of posters of some of the most followed Google+ members.

Find new people on Google+.

#19: Keep it short and friendly

Make your Google+ URL short and friendly by shortening it on gplus.to. For example, before shortening my Google+ ID, it looked like this: https://plus.google.com/114279510179117392107/posts. After shortening, it appears this way: http://gplus.to/dhemley.

#20: Here’s a tip on Google+ for businesses

Stay on top of the plans for Google+ for business profiles. Follow this important advice from Google’s Christian Oestlien: Use a consumer profile of a real person at your company who is “willing to represent your organization on Google+ in the meantime until business profiles are rolled out.”

www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4oafKRykUg

Are you committed to incorporating Google+ into your social networking mix? What tips and resources can you add to this list? Share your thoughts in the comments box below.

Have you wondered “How can Google+ help my business?” If so, then this guide is for you.

Google+ is rapidly becoming a mainstream social media platform. We covered how to get started with Google+. But what can it do for your business?

Below are the resources you need to ramp up your Google+ social media marketing. But first, a few navigation tips…

Google+ Navigation

Google+ has some interesting, helpful navigation features, so let’s first look at a few useful shortcuts. This will speed up your Google+ networking and enhance your experience.

Google+ Explained

Here are the best resources from the blogosphere to help you understand Google+ and how it can help you.

What’s Google+?

#1: What’s So Exciting About Google+?

Are you still wondering what all the fuss is about? Social media leader Mari Smith gives you an overview of the things you need to know about Google+.

#2: 10 Awesome Google+ Presentations to View Today

Do you prefer to get the scoop in a visual presentation? Pamela Vaughn has a collection of great SlideShare presentations on Google+ over on HubSpot.

How to Get Started on Google+

#3: How to Get Started With Google+, Your Complete Guide

We suggest you review the Social Media Examiner Google+ guide for getting started by Kristi Hines.

#4: How to Use Google+

Want a simple overview of how to get started? Check out this article by Dan Rowinski on Read Write Web.

#5: Conversations Matter in Google+

If you’ve been on social media for a while, you’re sure to understand the importance of conversation. On Google+, conversations are taken to the next level. Chris Brogan, author of the upcoming Google+ for Business, shows you why.

What Businesses Need to Know About Google+

#6: 11 Ways for Businesses to Utilize Google+

Although Google+ has asked businesses to hold off on creating business profiles, you can still use Google+ for business networking from your personal account on Google+. Aaron Lee shares 11 ways for you to use Google+ today on the iStrategy Blog.

#7: What Brands Can Expect From Google+

John Bell, head of Ogilvy’s 360° Digital Influence team, shares insights for brands interested in learning more about future marketing opportunities with Google+.

#8: Google+ Starting to Impact Search

Does your business have a website? Have a look at how Google+ mentions will impact your listings on Google search results. John Jantsch of Duct Tape Marketing explains how this affects businesses.

What’s Different in Google+

#9: 12 Most Enchanting Features of Google+

How is Google+ different from other social media platforms? Guy Kawasaki, author of Enchantment, looks at what Google+ offers users compared to a few other social networks.

#10: Google+ Games and Facebook Privacy Comparison

Here’s a comparison between Google+ games and Facebook games by Lisa Braziel on Web Pro News.

#11: Google+ Has Made Twitter Boring

Social media leader Robert Scoble shares his experience of Google+ and compares it with Twitter. Find out where Google+ is better than Twitter.

How to Find Friends

#12: 10 Ways to Find Relevant Google+ Users to Circle

Over on The Next Web, Nancy Messieh shares some great tips and resources to help you find interesting people to add to your Google+ Circles.

#13: How to Migrate Your Facebook Account and Data to Google+

Don’t have any friends on Google+? Do you want to copy all of the friends, photos and videos you already have on your Facebook account and import them into Google+? Follow the instructions shared by Whitson Gordon on Lifehacker.

How to Get the Most Out of Google+

#14: The Power of Google+: Privacy “Circles” the Entire Experience

Read this article by Jesse Stay, author of the upcoming Google+ for Dummies, to understand why it’s easy to control your privacy on Google+, what you need to know to get started and how to use your privacy settings to get the most out of Google+.

#15: How to Use Google+ Circles to Control Your Information

It’s easy to be selective in who you share your updates with on Google+. Rich Brooks of Flyte New Media shows you how to set up your Google Circles and what you need to know to control the information you share.

#16: How to Stream and Record Google+ Hangouts

Hangouts are one of the most interesting features on Google+ for businesses. This feature allows you to have your meetings via video. Read this article if you want to record your Hangouts. Webcaster Jeff Lebow runs through all of the equipment and settings you need to stream and record sessions on Google+ Hangouts.

#17: How to Use Google+ Sparks

The Google Sparks feature allows you to curate content. Even if some people are not happy with Sparks today, try it yourself and follow Gord McLeod‘s directions on GeekBeat.tv on how to use it.

Google+ Tips

#18: Google+ Tips and Tricks: 10 Hints for New Users and 10 More Ways to Make the Most of Your Account

Amy-Mae Elliott shares tips on Mashable to help you get started on Google+. You’ll learn how to improve your Google+ experience and fine-tune your networking.

#19: The Mother of All Google+ Resource Lists

Here’s another great Google+ resource on The Next Web by Nancy Messieh for you to improve your Google+ experience.

#20: 40 Google+ Tips and Tricks for Power Users

J.R. Raphael shares some useful tips to help you become a Google+ power user on PC World.

Connect Google+ With Other Social Platforms

#21: How to Make RSS Feeds for Google+ Profiles

Once you have set up your Google+ profile and Circles you may want to watch your Google+ stream through your RSS feed. Emily Banks explains how to set up RSS feeds for your Google+ account on Mashable.

#22: Add a Google Profile Button to Your Site

Here’s a tip from David Galloway on Lifehacker to help you integrate Google+ into your social media marketing.

#23: Google+ Hangouts Can Now Be Initiated From YouTube

The Google+ experience gets smoother. There’s a “Start a Google+ Hangout” link right on YouTube. Charlie White shows how this works on Mashable.

Here’s a Google+ Hangout where Steve Garfield discusses Google+:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=AU2Z5CJwMbI

Google+ Resources

And here are some useful Google+ resources.

Resources From Google

#24: The Google+ Project

Google explains the Google+ project.

#25: The Official Google+ Blog

Read more about Google+ on their official blog.

#26: +1 Spelling Conventions

Find out how to spell Google+ in all circumstances.

#27: Google+: A Collaborative Document

This Google document is full of tips shared by an open community. Scroll through the contributions to learn more about Google+.

Other Resources to Find People and Events

#28: Social Statistics

Use this tool to find people on Google+, check out the latest popular shares and track your own Google+ statistics.

#29: Recommended Users

Check out this tool to find recommendations of people to add to your Circles.

#30: FindPeopleOnPlus

Try this other directory to help you find and connect with the right people on Google+.

#31: Pluserati

Use this Alltop list to check out top Google+ users.

#32: GPHangouts

Check out this Google+ Hangouts directory to find public Hangouts of interest to you.

WordPress Plugins

#33: Google Profile Button

Get your Google Profile button here and embed it on your blog and other social media platforms.

#34: Googlecards: A WordPress Plugin for Google+

Check out this easy way to add a Google+ badge to your WordPress blog.

What are your favorite Google+ resources? Do you have any good tips to share? Please leave them in the comments box below.

If you haven’t gotten your invite just yet, you can learn more about Google+ in the following quick-look video, and by visiting the Google+ project overview, searchable details and discussion pages.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwnJ5Bl4kLI

You can also take a demo tour so you can get a feel for what to expect once you are able to join the project.

Limited Field Trial Invites

If you’re one of the lucky ones, you received an invite for Google+ during their limited field trial. While the invite messages ranged from a sneak preview of what will be inside to your friend is hanging out, the commonality is the brick-red Learn more about Google+ button.

Here is an example email invite to Google+.

Whenever you click on the button, you’re taken to the invite screen for Google+. If you have a Gmail address, all you have to do is update your public profile to begin.

Join Google+ when someone sends you an invite.

Two things to note when joining. During the limited field trial, there is the following disclosure:

“Things may not always work as intended. By using this product in Field Trial stage, you’re responsible for protecting yourself and your data from any risks, including data loss or disclosure. By signing up, you also agree that we may contact you to ask for feedback about the product.”

There is also a checkbox that says “Google may use my information to personalize content and ads on non-Google websites.” When you click on the question mark for more information, it takes you to the privacy notice about +1 on non-Google sites which lets you know that when you enable +1, you will be able to see recommendations by your friends in Google+ and they will see your recommendations based on the +1′s you have clicked. +1′s will show up on your Google public profile which you should fill out if you are planning to start interacting more on Google networks.

Once you’ve read the Google+ privacy policy, click on the Join button to get started!

Inside Google+

The first question you are greeted with is a popup on whether you want to link your Picasa Web Album (Google’s version of Flickr) to your Google+ account to share your photos and videos with others. If you have albums already, the privacy settings for them will remain the same. Since I do photography, I went ahead and connected mine. It’s also a bit confusing as your only other option is Don’t Join Google+.

The Welcome Screen

Next, you will be greeted by the Welcome screen.

Google+ greets you on your first visit with popular options.

Creating Your Profile

The first thing you will want to do is click on your name in the black bar across the top of the screen and view your profile.

Edit your Google+ profile so connections can learn more about you.

Here you will be able to edit your Google+ profile information, including adding a tagline, employment information, education and photo scrapbook. You can also set the privacy on each one of these to anyone on the web, extended circles (friends of friends), your circles or only you.

When you click on Continue to my profile, you will see your full profile which will pull your Google+ updates on the Posts tab.

View your complete Google+ profile and make edits where necessary.

Your About tab pulls information from your main Google profile; you can also edit that here by clicking on Edit Profile and then clicking on the section you want to edit. Under Photos and Videos, you will see anything you allowed to be imported from Picasa. Next are your +1′s and Buzz updates.

Adding Connections

Next, you will want to start adding people as connections. Click the Show all > link in the right sidebar under Suggestions to see the friends you have already on Google+. It may be limited during the trial, so don’t be surprised if you don’t have many.

Add friends from your Google connections and see who has added you to their circles.

From here, you can find people based on who you connect with on Google—people you have emailed in Gmail who also have Google accounts, people you follow on Google Buzz and so forth—using the Find and Invite tab. You can also see who has already added you to their connections by using the People who’ve added you tab.

Want to know about a particular person? Just click on their box and then the link to their profile where you can see (based on their privacy preferences) their latest updates, people they have added to their circles, people who have added them to circles, and people you have in common between your circles.

Creating Circles

Circles are the way to organize your connections on Google+. Learn more about them in this short intro video.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocPeAdpe_A8

The default circles you have are Friends, Family, Acquaintances and Following. You can drag people into circles individually or by highlighting multiple people at a time and dragging them all into one circle. You can also create a new circle by dropping a friend onto the Drop here to create a new circle or simply hover over that circle to create a new one before you start dragging your connections over.

Create new circles for different connections.

When you add your first person who has already added you to a circle, you will get a popup notification that you can now share with them and see what they are sharing with you. They will be notified that you added them, but not see the name of the circle you added them to.

You will also be notified that they will appear on your public profile. If you don’t want that to happen, you can click on the Change link which will take you to your Google profile with a highlighted box where you can change the visibility settings to show people in all circles or just selected ones, select whether anyone on the web or just people in your circles can see that information and select whether to show people who have added you to their circles.

For the people who are not on Google+ yet, adding them to a circle means that you will be able to send them updates via email. I have added people not on Google+ to circles in the hopes that when they do join, they will already be organized where I want them. I’m not sure how I feel about sending them updates because those people haven’t signed up and might not really want to be opted into updates, but regardless it is there for those who feel that someone would be interested in the updates.

Your Settings

Before you go too far into Google+, you might want to tweak some of your settings. To do this, click on the Options symbol all the way to the right in the black bar across the top of the screen.

Manage your Google+ settings, including notifications, geolocation and tags.

Here you can set what notifications you receive. After that, there are two important settings you will want to note.

Photos and Geolocation Information—If you don’t want a location tagged to your photos, you will want to uncheck this one. I haven’t seen any location tags on a photo yet, but I once uploaded a photo to a Twitter photo sharing service that tagged the photos on map view, so if you took a photo of your house, you would be giving the world directions.

People Whose Tags Are Automatically Approved to Link to Your Profile—A network where not everyone can tag you! If you keep your connections organized well, only people you want to tag you can, as you can set this to particular circles, extended circles, all of your own circles or public.

Your Notifications

When there is new activity for you on Google+ (someone shares a post with you, adds you to their circle, etc.) then a red number will appear next to your name in the black bar across the top of the screen.

See your latest Google+ notifications.

You can click on these individual items to see more details about them or go directly to posts that have been shared with you.

Your Stream

Once you have set up your profile, added people to your circles, and adjusted your settings, you can go back to your main page by clicking on the Home icon to see a stream of updates from your connections.

Read the latest updates from your Google+ connections.

You can see updates from all of your connections, or click on the circle names in the left sidebar to see updates from just people in those circles.

Also, for each individual update, you can click on the down arrow to the right of the update to link to the post and share it on your profile, report it as abuse, mute the post or block the person who sent it.

How +1 Ties Into Google+

You’ve seen the implementation of Google +1 on blogs, websites and in search results. Here’s where it comes into play within Google+. Just like you can Like posts on Facebook, you can +1 posts!

Give a +1 to your favorite posts in your stream.

You can also see the count of how many +1s the updates receive and who has given it the +1.

Sending Updates

To send an update, you click on the box right below your stream. You will have the option to send photo-, video-, link- or location-based updates.

Send updates to the public, all of your circles or only specific circles.

You can then select who will see this update among your different circles, all of your circles, extended circles or anyone on the web.

There is also an option to email your updates to people you’ve added to circles if they are not a part of Google+ yet.

Forward updates via email.

Again, I’m not sure how I feel about opting-in someone who isn’t even a part of the network yet, but it’s there.

Chat With Friends

In your left sidebar, you have an option to connect with people in Chat. It’s similar to the same chat feature in your Gmail, also known as Google Talk.

Google Talk is now inside Google+.

The indicators will show you if someone is online and if they are available for a text chat (the green dot) or a video chat (the green video camera). When you click on their name, a little chat window will pop up at the bottom right side of your screen so you can start chatting.

Start a text, video, phone or group chat.

From here, you can click on the video icon, phone for Google Voice chat or the + person icon to add more people to start a group text chat. And if you want to start blocking someone, just click on the Actions dropdown for that option.

You can set your Google+ chat to only show you as online to particular circles, or you can set your overall status to Available, Busy, or Invisible to everyone signed into chat.

Video Chat With Friends Using Hangouts

Since I’m not quite comfortable with video yet, I haven’t gotten into this one. But you can connect with people via video by clicking on the Start a Hangout button in the right sidebar of your home page. You can learn more about this feature in this quick video.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=QN38vHZjWXw

You will need to have a webcam and install the Google Voice and Google Video plugins to use this feature.

Feeds From Sparks

Sparks is a feature within Google+ that allows you to get a feed from a variety of websites on any topics you choose.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DoAl4JXhQo

Simply search for the things you are interested in to bring up a feed for that interest.

Check out the latest news in your industry with Google+ Sparks.

When you click the Add interest button at the top of a search, it will save it for you in your left-hand sidebar under your streams for easy access. It’s a great way to catch up on news on your favorite topics or within your industry. It also gives you some quick content to share with your circles!

Mobile Access

Last but not least, you can access Google+ on your mobile device. Currently the only app is for Android, with iPhone coming soon. But you can access google.com/+ in your browser on Android, iPhone, iPad and Blackberry with the specified OS systems.

Your Thoughts on Google+

What do you think? This article contains everything I know about Google+ thus far. Have you joined? What has been your experience so far? Do you think you will use this more or less than other social networking platforms? Please share your thoughts in the comments!