Posts Tagged ‘Google+’

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6 Ways to Engage Your Audience On Google+

Sunday, September 2nd, 2012

1. Build Your Circles (and Privacy Settings)

Though Facebook eventually caught up with the ability to share content with some while hiding it from others, Google+ developed a simpler, cleaner interface for their privacy settings. Whenever you connect with a person simply add them to a circle of your choice. Circles labeled ‘business contacts,’ ‘acquaintances,’ ‘close friends’ or ‘social media experts’ will prove helpful when you decide to share (or hide) content from your followers.

2. Share Appropriate Content

Just as in any other social media platform, your content must engage your followers. By categorizing your users into the circles mentioned above, you’ll be able to share appropriate content with a variety of followers while hiding that same content from others.

3. +1 A Post

 You’re no longer hitting a “Like” button, you’re now choosing to “+1” a post you like. Just like other social media platforms, show some love by engaging with people in your Google+ circles by hitting the “+1” button.

4. Hangouts

“Hangouts” really shine in Google+. Hangouts allows you to, yes you guessed it, hangout with people in your Google+ circles in a video chat. Think a hipper, cleaner version of GoToMeeting/GoToWebinar. Up to 9 other people can video chat at once, and Google even developed some snappy little hats, spectacles, beards and even scuba gear to make your Google+ Hangouts even more fun. Many people using the Google+ Hangout feature have completely abandoned Skype and other video chat platforms.

5. Broadcast Live

Want to take Hangouts one step further? Google+ allows you seamless integration with your YouTube account allowing you to do two tasks simultaneously: broadcast your video live to anyone on Google+ as well as record the live broadcast and automatically post it to YouTube. This feature is one of my favorite features as the interface and usability is second to none.

6. Customize Your Account

As Google+ continues to develop and grow, a variety of add-ons enable users to customize their account colors and designs to fit their personal or business brand. A favorite of ours is the Hangout Lower Third add-on that superimposes a news-style banner across the lower third of your screen while on a Hangout or live broadcast.

Question: What do you think of Google+?

 

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Social Media Tools: What Are You Building?

Saturday, August 4th, 2012

We’ve got phones, laptops and tablets.

We’ve got apps, downloads and upgrades.

We’ve got blogs, tweets and online forums.

We’ve got Facetime, Skype, and Google+ Hangouts.

As technology moves at breakneck speed, we move with it or feel we get left in the cyber-dust.

So we keep learning, adapting and repeating the process with each new piece of hardware or software that makes its way to the market. While many feel overwhelmed  by the treadmill of never-ending start-ups, others feast on the excitement and innovation of the creative process.

patient

Robert S. Donovan via Compfight

Tools of the Trade

Although much of social media is intangible, its imperative to note that something very real, something very tangible is always being built with the tools of the social media trade.

Every blog post, status update and engagement builds a brand, be it a personal brand or a business brand.

And these social media tools are available to everyone.  Some use these tools wisely over time to construct a multi-layered platform built to last. Others expect instant success and results, later realizing their social media strategy was… no strategy.

Think of it this way: every do-it-yourself homecenter has a plethora of tools and gadgets available. Some people can use those tools to build something beautiful while others flounder. Most likely, those that flounder are those that needed to follow a simple rule: learn before launch.

Learn Before Launch

If you’re thinking of launching a product or service and plan on using social media tools to enhance customer engagement, here are a few simple tips to get you off the ground.

1. Head on over to Michael Hyatt’s site and see how he consistently delivers excellent value and content to his readers. When Michael lauchches a product or service, he’s a master at delivering to his readers.

2. Comb Mashable on a daily basis. With up-to-the second updates, Mashable is a key resource for all things social media.

3. Drop us a line here at Wild Hair Media. We’d be honored to steer you in the right direction to help you develop a specific strategy.

 

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