Many sources are claiming that the Google+ project will solve all of your social network worries and lead you to drop your Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, and blogging site in favor of this new mega-social network. Although it is highly unlikely that users will stop using Facebook and Twitter cold turkey, look for Google+ to pick up steam in the coming months. The latest and greatest social network is currently operating on a limited basis to allow Google to work out the kinks and resolve any issues that may arise. Once the site is open to the public, you can surely expect quite a buzz.
One of the innovative features of Google plus is the selective sharing offered by the Circles feature. Instead of sharing content to every friend or contact, you can choose which Circles of contacts to share with. A Circle is basically a grouping of people. You can have one Circle for your co-workers, one for family, one for business acquaintances, and one for close friends. This way, Google+ allows you to target who sees specific content, which is convenient when you don’t want to share something with everyone in your social network.
Great as an internal communication tool for your business
There are many features of Google+ that make it a great tool for internal communications in a professional setting. By using Google+ instead of email, you completely eliminate spam and the need for spam filtering systems. The Sparks feature is an easy way to find and share content that peaks your personal and professional interests. Simply type in a subject that interests you (i.e. online marketing) and Google+ will generate an entire news stream with the latest articles related to your favorite subjects. This makes it easy to find relevant content and share it with your Circles. Google+ can even serve as a place to blog. You can share blog posts with certain Circles or with all your contacts, which is great for SEO and link building.
Hangouts is Google+’s new video chat feature, which allows you to chat face-to-face with anyone from your Circles and has the capability for multiple person communication. Using Hangouts is similar to sitting around a conference table, which is excellent for businesses with employees in different locations who prefer communicating face-to-face instead of using long e-mail threads or racking up expensive phone bills. Google+ on mobile devices even has a savvy alternative to texting. Similar to the chat feature that is also available on Gmail, Huddle is a group messaging tool that allows you to coordinate group activities or events and is convenient for quick conversations involving everyone in a Circle.
Although Google+ may not fulfill all of your social media needs that you get with Facebook and Twitter, you may be surprised by it’s easy to use interface and cool new features that could make it a serious rival to other social networks.
