@jenneilpeters Thanks so much Jenneil! It's always great to see you light up my Twitter stream!! :)
12 Most Simple Ways to Get More Involved on Google+
Google+ is not a ghost town. There are many people rocking the platform day in and day out. Google+kins have created their own socialsphere and are making it more fantastic as they grow and evolve. As Guy likes to say, “Google+ is for people who share your passions” — make new friends and explore what you love more deeply.
Not sure how to get started? Ask questions of people who are active on Google+, they are very helpful as a community.
Here are some basic 12 Most Good to Know Goodies About Google+ for the mechanics of using Google+ and here are some tips for using it socially:
1. Set a few times to go on Google+ daily
If you aren’t there and haven’t tried it, give it a chance! Nothing is more frustrating than someone saying “I don’t like that” and then having them admit they didn’t try it. You aren’t five and this isn’t spinach. Try it.
2. Share content that you find on other sites and cross polinate
3. Find some great circles of people who love what you love
An easy way to find people is to search “shared a circle with you” and check out the circles that other people are sharing. People usually say why they created the circle or just the name can tell you everything you need to know. Here is the largest list of Google+ Shared Circles created by Chris Porter. There are 1315 great Google+ circles here — if you can’t find something that interests you, I hate to tell you this but… you might be boring.
4. +Mention your friends
Let people know you are on Google+ and want to join the conversation.
5. Trendspotting — catch the wave of a trending topic
Participating in #Caturday, #ScienceSunday or whatever trends interest you can help you by:
- Increasing your engagement per post or tweet
- Make some new connections
- Build your following
- Have more FUN! That makes everything more awesome, right?
More on Trendspotting
6. Circle new friends when you meet them
I highly recommend circling people right when you meet them. Here are the 12 Most Desirable People to Follow on Google+ to get you started.
Here is an interesting post on How to Use Google+ circles.
7. +1, comment and share other’s posts
This hugely popular graphic by my friend Dane Findley says it all.
8. Hangouts are always happening!
9. Google+ is like a combination of Facebook and Twitter — in a good way!
Google+ has the ability to move quickly like Twitter but the comments are more in depth and longer lasting like Facebook.
10. Block the losers
They are on all the platforms. Block and move on.
11. Check out this fabulous Google+ post by Margie Hearron
Margie talks about how to make Google+ really work for you.
12. Need help? It is available!
Check out any of these helpful hashtags for great posts on how to use Google+: #GooglePlusTips #GooglePlusHelp or #GooglePlusTutorials.
Another fab resource is Google+Help (unofficial) run by Jaana Nyström.
Give Google+ a chance and +mention me on your good stuff! Need more technical assistance? Read What the Plus! by Guy Kawasaki — this book is the unofficial handbook for Google+.
Have questions about Google+? I’d love to discuss it with you in the comments.
Featured image courtesy of Creative Commons.
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Article by Peg Fitzpatrick
Peg Fitzpatrick
Peg Fitzpatrick is proud to be a Managing Partner and writer for 12 Most. She is Director of Marketing and Social Media Manager for Kreussler Inc., and hosts the popular #MyBookClub chat on the 1st Monday of every month at 8 pm EST. She has also started speaking at events such as the #140 Conference and is honored to be included on several “best of” online and blogging lists. Peggy loves to travel and enjoys photography as well. All about being positive and connecting, she is a true social butterfly. Tweet her and say hi at @pegfitzpatrick, find her Stumbling on StumbleUpon, rocking Google+ here Google or happily pinning on Pinterest
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RT @DanielZeevi: 12 Most Simple Ways to Get More Involved on #GooglePlus -- http://t.co/mWuXVUC0 RT @terrinakamura
RT @rosequartz0518: RT @terrinakamura: 12 Most Simple Ways to Get More Involved on #GooglePlus -- http://t.co/YS0XaQ4i
thx RT @DashBurst @GooglePlusUs: 12 Most Simple Ways to Get More Involved on #GooglePlus -- http://t.co/mla9DAbk
12 Most Simple Ways to Get More Involved on #GooglePlus -- http://t.co/Wzy9DS75 via @terrinakamura
xox RT @AlessandroRea @Kasprowski_ch : RT @terrinakamura: 12 Most Simple Ways to Get More Involved on #GooglePlus -- http://t.co/vTBf16Kk
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Reading WTP right now. Actually, I hope I get a few hours of good reading in this weekend - the Olympics curtailed my normal night time reading.
I do enjoy Google+ and both the browser and iPad interfaces. Even the iPhone interface is nice, and they blow the doors off of the Facebook apps. There is plenty of interaction over there, but a lot of my normal connections still communicate primarily on Twitter and Facebook.
I need to take more time to organize my circles. A lot of folks get thrown into the Social Media and Acquaintance circles for me (unless you are 12Most, Photography, or a blogger I frequently read).
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@dbvickery I need to work on circles more too. I have great circles that I followed and a few that I started (12 Most and Pluserati) but I don't share to the circle often.
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Thanks @CorrieDavidson and @GoogleDC for coming out to talk with the #smswalk team about social medias. Good times!
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@PegFitzpatrick - Love #3! Great post!
Funny...I like G+ more than it seems to like me... but I'm gonna keep at it!
I was just telling a friend the other day how the "conversation" is more useful and intelligent on G+ (e.g. that's where I found out about the Olympics apps that I used throughout the Olympics)
@Martin D Redmond There is a lot of great conversation on G+!
Why do you think G+ doesn't like you? Are you tagging people when you post? Joining convo with other wine peeps?
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For most "non-pros," the question isn't "can I make this something I like" but rather "platform X doesn't feel like work and this does, why do I need this again?"I am making a focused effort to "stop by" G+ at least once a day. For my other platforms, though, I don't have to set a calendar reminder to visit. This one feels forced.My biggest challenge is to show a payback for clients. Right now, other the Authorship mark-up, there are not too many marketing advantages to G+. Since I cannot show an ROI, other than theoretical, nobody is interested.Non-web savvy folks have at least heard of Twitter. Google Plus is less well known in Cincinnati than Pinterest.
And, of course, livefyre eliminated all of the paragraph breaks in my comment. Sorry for the unorganized appearance.
@jpJeremy I agree that it is a little harder to get started, Jeremy. For clients I would say that the best benefit is improved SEO on Google+ http://mashable.com/2012/02/10/seo-google-plus/ Great posts on Google+ get a nice placement on Google which is especially important for those who don't blog.
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I'm torn:
between telling everyone I know how fantastic G+ is and how much fun they're missing
or
keeping G+ a secret, so that it keeps its awesomeness!
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A much needed post, and no one else could cover it like you.
I still fail at #1, but always feel encouraged by you and others in the #evang+ circle. The passion makes it all worth it to keep trying.
You forgot to mention how beautiful image sharing is on G+. I have several circles dedicated to photography and art. You could never see it in such nice detail on another network. That stuff all gets hidden on Twitter. Facebook does not have as high a resolution as G+. You can tell that a lot of thought went into how to show media in the most accessible way. Google is very committed to design and usability. Gotta love it.
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@susansilver It is true ~ the images on Google+ are fantastic especially on my iPad! Do you have one? The G+ app is gorgeous.
Only downside is the yucky bars on the side of the photos. I wish they would fix that.
And thank you for your kind comment. :D
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@PegFitzpatrick Been saving my pennies for an ipad. Looks like over the next two months it will happen.
@susansilver Totally worth saving pennies for!!! Oooo I am happy for you in anticipation.
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Timely, thanks Peggy! I'm getting on there more and more, but too often it's just to post my own links.... Must. Get. G+ Social.I've seen others writing lengthy posts, almost akin to a blog post, on G+ as well, then following up with something more substantial on their blog and linking through from there to connect the two. I like G+ for more significant conversations, possibly because of the make up of people, or perhaps just because the conversation is so seamless? Either way, it's another step to getting on board the Google train, which is usually a smart thing to do (Buzz being the painful exception ;-)
Latest blog post: Music Marketing Matters: 6 Secrets To Gathering Fan Data
@Steve Birkett I think if you try Google+ a bit, you will like it. There are many who are using exactly as a blog with great comments and love it.
It is perfect for a longer conversation. Facebook seems to be filling up with the same stuff over and over from Pinterest, have you noticed? Tag me on your G+ posts and join the flowing conversation!
@rbz We do have the +1 Google+ in our share bar that +1 and shares the post to Google+.
Let’s be social!
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