Google+: What is it and should you be using it?

By now, you’ve heard all about Google + and you’re probably thinking, “Oh No! ANOTHER social media tool to learn and use.”

The good news is that it integrates three very familiar platform ideas: Email (like Gmail), video chatting (like Skype), and conventional social networking (like Facebook), so if you can use any one of these, you’re already off to a good start.

Here are some unique features of Google +:

• Circles:  You can no longer worry about who you friend and what they will see.  You can create groups for work, friends, family, and other custom groups and determine how much access each “circle” has to your information, pictures, and videos.  Long Story Short: Your boss won’t see pictures of you from college (unless you want them to).
• Hangout: Google has made it even easier to interact with your friends and multiple friends at that.  Video chatting is made easy and you can share Youtube videos at the same time.  Long Story Short: Start brushing your hair and washing your face before going online.

• Sparks: Just like the other popular social networking site, you can “like” things to follow them here.  The difference between the Google+ version of “like” is that there are different kinds: +1  and Sparks.  +1 is used for comments, webpages, and things that you actually like.  Sparks are ways to send out things you’re interested in (webpages, news articles, Youtube videos) and find others who like the same thing.  Long Story Short: If you like something, there will be someone out there who likes the same thing.  It’s easy to find them (if they want to be found).

Here are some great resources to learn more about it:

http://www.socialbrite.org/tag/google-plus-tutorial/

http://igamek.com/2011/07/guide-tutorial-using-google-plus/

This might seem complicated at first but it has been getting much easier to use each time I’ve used it.  If you have any questions, feel free to email me at dkim@appl.org or tweet me at @donappl