8 Simple Steps to Maximize SEO on Google Plus

How to Add Gmail Contacts to Google Plus Circles

Google Plus Integrated with Gmail  and other Google Product , to expand its reach far , So now you can easily access contact from your gmail , and you can see all the updates by Google plus contact .

Add Gmail Contacts to Google Plus Circles, Share and Filter

 Gmail will now offer circles as a filtering option. Therefore, all the incoming mails can be filtered based on respective circles or contacts.

make gmail faster ?

Circles would show up in labels in your Gmail or your conversation list. Therefore, now you would be able to add anybody in Gmail with your Google circle contact list. This would also be based on the contact widget. If you use Google plus and Gmail, the integration would really help you.

Another feature is, sharing in this integration. Google is introducing a way for friends to share all the email photos on Google plus. There will be an additional share button with a view option. There will be a download button, which you can use for downloading. This would be next to image attachment.

With the integration, circles and mail would be easy to access.  The address book would be automatically updated in your Gmail contacts. If you add any address in Google circle or plus, then you can see it directly on your Gmail.

 Circles should appear in labels in your Gmail or your call list. Therefore, now you would be able to get everyone to add Gmail to your Google contact list circle. This would also be based on the contact widget. If you use Google and Gmail Plus, the integration would really help you.

Another feature is the integration of parts. Google is introducing a way for friends to all e-mail photos to share on Google as well. There will be an extra share button for option. There will be a download button, you can use to download. This would be next to the picture space.

With the integration, and e-mail circles would be easily accessible. The book would be automatically updated in your Gmail contacts. If you add an address into Google or circle plus, you can immediately see your Gmail.

Google plus integration is definitely going to help all the social networking users. The effort will not only integrate products but it would integrate users as well. Facebook is the biggest challenge with Google plus. However, with this move the company is expecting more users for Google plus.

Read – Google Plus and Facebook Competition.

If everything is easily available and accessible, every user would switch service. Google plus is also planning to integrate with Google documents. This move would help users who use Google spreadsheets. There is a Google added support with the integration, which can be used.

How far will Google plus succeed with the integration thing, one needs to wait and watch. For time being, enjoy all the efforts and services in your Gmail account.

Quickstart Guide To Getting Started With The Google Plus Social Network

Google+ iPhone app Released with new updates

Google+ iPhone app Released with new updates

What's New in Version 1.0.7.2940

- full resolution photo uploads
- search
- photo +1
- bug fixes and performance improvements

iPhone Screenshots

Games in Google+: fun that fits your schedule

Games in Google+: fun that fits your schedule

My family has a games closet. Inside you’ll find a few decks of cards, two decades’ worth of board games and a Twister mat for those times when we’re feeling limber. Playing games is a great way for us to spend quality time with each other (and a little healthy competition never hurt anyone either).

Today we’re adding games to Google+. With the Google+ project, we want to bring the nuance and richness of real-life sharing to the web. But sharing is about more than just conversations. The experiences we have together are just as important to our relationships. We want to make playing games online just as fun, and just as meaningful, as playing in real life.

That means giving you control over when you see games, how you play them and with whom you share your experiences. Games in Google+ are there when you want them and gone when you don’t.

When you’re ready to play, the Games page is waiting—click the games button at the top of your stream. You can see the latest game updates from your circles, browse the invites you’ve received and check out games that people you know have played recently. The Games page is also where your game accomplishments will appear. So you can comfortably share your latest high score—your circles will only see the updates when they’re interested in playing games too.

If you’re not interested in games, it’s easy to ignore them. Your stream will remain focused on conversations with the people you care about.

You’ll have a fun initial set of games to play with on Google+. Thanks to the developers who’ve worked with us to make them available:

If you’re a developer interested in building games for Google+, you can learn more on our new Google+ developer blog.

Today we’re starting to gradually roll out games in Google+. We look forward to making them fully available to everyone in Google+ soon. When you see a Games page in your account, please give games a try and send us feedback. Look for the "send feedback" button in the bottom right-hand corner of any page in Google+. Thanks for playing! Like the rest of the Google+ project, we're just getting started.

3 Reasons to Use Google Plus for Businesses

1. Connections.
More than 1 billion people use Google's search engine every month. Google Plus for businesses allows you to potentially tap into that traffic, as Google+ Pages are now showing up in search results.
With the launch of Google+ Pages, the website is also debuting a feature called "Direct Connect." Users who type "+" in front of a company's name in Google's search field will be connected directly to the company's Google+ Page, if there is one.
People with personal Google+ profiles can recommend your business with a "+1," or add your business to their "Circles" so they can follow your every post. They can even chat with you or your employees face-to-face over Google+'s "Hangouts" feature.
2. Collaborations.
"Hangouts" is more than just a way to video chat, it also lets your team work on shared files in Google Docs from remote locations, in real time. Businesses can also use "Hangouts" like a virtual whiteboard for brainstorming.
Customers can also collaborate via "Hangouts." Businesses can host live customer feedback discussions, for example, giving you insight into your products and your customer base, a columnist for Simply Business suggests.
3. Circles.
As you may have heard, Google+ features "Circles," which lets you pick which posts are sent to specific groups of followers.
This could be a boon to businesses that cater to certain demographics, The International Business Times suggests. For example, a business can create different content for different age group "Circles," or send special offers to customers in a certain geographic "Circle."
However, keep in mind that Google Plus for businesses are still evolving. Critics note that Google+ Pages are still in need of business-friendly features like website analytic tools and personalized URLs.

Google+ iPhone app updated with search, better photo uploads

  Lance Whitney 

Google has tweaked its Google+ app for the iPhone to add built-in search and a couple of features previously available only on its Web site.
Users of the social network can now search for specific people or posts, just as they can on the Google+ site. A search field appears at the top of the mobile app where one can enter a query by name or keyword.
The app can now handle full resolution photographs, so images should retain their higher resolution after they're uploaded. Photos also can now be recommended by tapping the +1 button next to the image.
In addition to the above changes, Google said it also threw in some bug fixes and performance improvements, though it wasn't specific about what needed fixing or improving.
One improvement yet to surface is iPad optimization. The app continues to be designed for the smaller screen of the iPhone and iPod Touch, so iPad users will still need to run it in a small window or in the lower-resolution full-screen window.

Originally posted at Digital Media

7 New Games Added to G+ :

7 New Games Added to G+ :

1-Shadow Fight https://plus.google.com/games/676662585162

2-Happy Kingdom https://plus.google.com/games/881708046750

3-Bug Village https://plus.google.com/games/257524220287

4-GolMania https://plus.google.com/games/1035260528008

5-Slotomania https://plus.google.com/games/592266061921

6- Millionaire City https://plus.google.com/games/389251492433

7- Uno Boost https://plus.google.com/games/1057940854794

Bank of America’s Google Plus Page Appears ‘Brandjacked’

Screengrab of the

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Carl Franzen November 14, 2011, 8:00 PM 16530 25

Updated 3:45 pm ET Tuesday, November 15
Google Plus Pages for businesses and brands are barely a week old, and already the neophyte social network appears to have its first identity crisis: Someone has created a Google Plus Page for Bank of America trashing the nation’s largest bank with a series of mocking photos, images and other posts, according to Reuters social media editor Anthony DeRosa on Twitter Monday night.
Indeed, visiting the page at the time of this posting reveals a series of messages obviously meant to satirize the bank’s overall business practices.
“Starting tomorrow, all Occupy Wall Street protestors with Bank of America accounts around the country will have their assets seized as part of BofA’s new Counter-Financial-Terrorism policy,” reads a post on November 8, “You will sit down and shut up, or we will foreclose on you.”
In fact, all of the account activity, dating back to its creation, seems to have occurred on November 8, the day after Google Plus debuted the ability for brands to register to create pages. There is no activity before or after that date.
Aside from the mocking posts, the blog also features a series of unflattering photos of former Bank of America CEO Kenneth Lewis, who retired in 2009 after steering the bank through the merger with Merrill Lynch and the associated 2008 global financial crisis.
Several others examining the bizarre situation on Twitter, namely Red Tettemer vice president Annie Heckenberger, noted that whoever created the page was exemplifying “brandjacking” in which an unauthorized person or group manages to acquire the online identity of another group and impersonate them.
No matter who is behind the page, the fact that it was put up so quickly and remains up a week later clearly marks a blight on the rollout of the Google Plus Pages and the company’s ability to ensure brand security and verification, an irony considering the fact that initially, Google didn’t allow companies or pseudonyms on Google Plus partially due to verification reasons.

The same thing happened to Twitter, with “fake accounts” being created for celebrities and causing real-world confusion. Twitter responded by creating its “Verified Accounts” procedure and accompanying stamp in June 2009.
But on Google Plus, it appears that anyone can still create a Plus Page for any business, so long as they link to that business’s official website, Creare Group notes. And the Bank of America Plus Page’s “About” section contains the company’s real New York city headquarters address, phone number and web URL.
As for what Google plans to do about the issue, a Google spokesperson told TPM via email that while the company doesn’t comment on individual Plus pages, “we also rely on the community (as with a lot of our other products like Android Market and YouTube) to help report profiles they feel are violating our policies. You can see a ‘Report this Profile’ link on the left hand side of the page.”
We’ve reached out to Bank of America for more on what they plan to do about the situation and will update when we receive a response.
Late update: A Bank of America spokesperson emailed TPM with the following statement: “We shared our concerns over the imposter page with Google, and it has since been taken down.”

How To Optimize Your Business’ Google Plus page for Ranking and Results

Google finally took the wraps of their Google Plus pages for business last week. So now it’s time for you to jump on board and create this vital web presence for your business.
We’ve collated this quick guide on how to optimise your business’ Google Plus page for better rankings and results – just so you get it right from the outset.
How to Optimize Google Plus pages for Business

Step 1 – Set Up Your Google Plus Page
To get started, go to: Create a Page on Google+ (this assumes you have a Google personal profile already). Then select your category:

• Local Business or Place
• Product or Brand
• Company, Institution or Organization
• Arts, Entertainment or Sports
• Other

For most company’s you’ll either select “Local Business” or “Company, Institution or Organisation.
Then simply fill out the details on the “add your info” page to create your basic Google Plus page.

Step 2 – Upload Your Page Image and Tagline
The next step in the process will be adding a profile image and tagline. in 99% of cases, your main image will be your logo.
Make sure you add an image with a keyword optimized file name (e.g. ineedhits-seo.jpg), and in cases where you dont have a branded tagline for your business – use it as an opportunity to add a keyword relevant slogan/message.
After this step, it’ll ask you to share your page with your networks/circles. Just hit next, and you can share later once your profile is fully optimized.

Step 3 – Provide an optimized description/introduction of your business
Once you’ve completed the previous step, you’ll be taken to a screen with a choice of posting, sharing and networking options. Near the top left of the options you’ll see the name of your page in grey. Click on this and then click the blue “edit” button on the next screen.
You’ll then be shown an editable version of your “about” info.

The first step is adding an introduction/description for your business. It’s key for you to create a spiel that’s both marketing savvy and SEO friendly. So make sure you have the right mix of keyword density and compelling copy.

Step 4 – Contact info
This goes without saying…make it easy for visitors to your page to contact your business. Give them all your contact details.

Step 5 – Add your website details
You’ll normally add your main business website in this section, which is nice link back to your website from an SEO perspective.

Step 6 – Link to Relevant Profiles and Sites
Here you can add links back to your business’ other social media profiles and websites. Of course this section can add credibility to your profile, so feel free to add links to qualifications, industry bodies etc…

Step 7 – Add business related images
On your page, there will be 5 images displayed above your description and business information. So upload 5 images (optimized for SEO of course) that are a strong reflection of your brand (e.g. product images, other main logos, your premises or even get creative and use the 5 images to create a banner).

Step 8 – Build Your Network/Circles and Start Sharing & Posting
Once your Google Plus page is finished, it’s time to start engaging with the Google Plus community. For your business page, you can create circles (networks), start posting information and news through your feed and importantly add your Google Plus page details to your existing website, other networks and share it through your media channels.

Google Music debuts, letting users share tunes via Google+

Google today launched Google Music, letting consumers tap into a service that was limited to 1 million customers since the beta was launched this spring.
The service takes advantage of Google search technology as well as its ability to tap the tastes of a user's friends to recommend songs. With three of the four major record labels now participating in the service, users will also be able to buy music.
"Google Music is about artists and their music and new ways to connect them to their fans," said Jamie Rosenberg, director of digital content for Google.

Google's Jamie Rosenberg

(Credit: Google; screenshot by Josh Lowensohn/CNET)

The beta version of Google Music, which debuted in May, didn't include the ability to buy songs from labels. But users could upload their entire music libraries to Google's servers, making those tunes available to stream from any browser or Android-based device, such as a phone, a tablet, or Google TV. Google will now open that service to anyone in the United States.
"The service will continue to be free," Rosenberg said.
Users can upload up to 20,000 songs.
Google is also adding music to the Android store, where it already sells movie rentals and books. And the company has added a recommendations engine, using friend's selections, to help make music discoverable.
And Google is integrating the service with its Google+ social network. Google+ friends can stream music from one another for an entire album, from start to finish, for free. They can only share a specific track with a friend once.
Google dubbed today's event "These Go To Eleven" in an e-mail invitation sent to media and analysts. Of course, that's a reference to the classic film mockumentary "This is Spinal Tap" and its lead guitarist Nigel Tufnel, who had an amplifier with volume knobs that went to 11.
Right up until the event, it was unclear if all four major labels would have licensing deals with Google Music. As late as last night, Google was still working to ink those agreements. Google said that three of the four would participate: Universal Music Group, EMI, and Sony Music Entertainment. Warner Music Group is the only holdout.
Google also worked hard to create an advantage with independent artists, giving them significant control over how their music is sold. It's created something it's calling Artist Hub, a place where bands can distribute their own music and set their own price for songs. Artists create their own pages for $25, and they keep 70 percent of the revenue from each sale. There are no annual fees and no per album uploads.
Google is also offering six never-released live concerts from the Rolling Stones. The first one is available today, with the others arriving in 2012. Coldplay is giving Google an exclusive concert as well. And Busta Rhymes has a single available for free from Google Music today.
Google is also launching the service with a partnership with T-Mobile. Customers of the carrier will be able to get billed for songs on their monthly mobile bill. T-Mobile customers will also receive free content from Drake, Maroon 5, and the aforementioned Rhymes.

How to Set Up a Google+ Page for Your Business

Google+ has opened the doors for business and brand pages.
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.
#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!

Why Google+ is no match for Facebook or Twitter – yet

Is Google+ social just for the sake of social, or can it be a forum for organisations? Photograph: Ho/REUTERS

Another day, another social network to get excited about. This week it isn't a new site as such, but a new function. Google+ recently released branded pages, allowing organisations to engage with users on the site.

A lot of people have jumped in head first with Google+, myself included. Some social-media gurus have even decreed that Facebook is dead and Google+ is social-media Utopia; "The King is dead, long live the King" comes to mind.

But Google+ shouldn't take up too much of our (limited) time, because our audience simply isn't there yet, especially in the UK. This may sound short sighted because Google+, while still relatively young, is allegedly breaking records for social network growth. However, given Gmail's large user base, this initial quick growth is unsurprising.

As someone who manages social media and online communities at a UK charity, I know that my time is limited. That means we need to be effective in how we choose to engage and give the best service we can to our supporters.

At the moment that means focusing on the British Heart Foundation Facebook page, Twitter and our online community, as well as targeted and tight blogger outreach. Google+ just hasn't got our audience yet, and evidence suggests that users aren't engaging like they were – it's one to watch out for, no doubt, but this feels very similar to the stampede we saw to join Quora (or Google Buzz and Wave).

On a more practical note, Google+ doesn't give "admins" data into who their fans are, and only one person can own and post to a Google+ page. All in all, it's a much poorer experience, especially when most Facebook admins I know want more community management controls and insights, not less.

That's not to say that we shouldn't experiment and try new things - we've experimented a lot in social spaces with character takeovers, competitions and lots more. But they have all had a clear objective that we were aiming for, while Google+ seems to be social for the sake of social.

I have made sure we've signed up for Google+, but only so that we can save our page from falling into the wrong hands. We'll continue to keep an eye on Google+'s progress and how our audiences use the site as well as how Google+ integrates with Adwords. Until then, we'll be concentrating on Facebook, Twitter and our other channels, as well as experimenting as much as we can in between.

Differences between Google+ Pages and Google+ Profiles

 

Pages are extremely similar to profiles, but they have some key differences:

• Pages can’t add people to circles until the page is added first or mentioned. Learn more.
• Pages can be made for a variety of different entities whereas profiles can only be made for people.
• The default privacy setting for elements on your page profile is public.
• Pages have the +1 button.
• Pages can’t +1 other pages, nor can they +1 stuff on the Web.
• Pages can’t play games.
• Pages don’t have the option to share to ‘Extended circles’.
• Pages don’t receive notifications via email, text, or in the Google bar.
• Pages can’t hangout on a mobile device.
• Local pages have special fields that help people find the business’ physical location. Learn more about local pages.

Google+ Syntax, Hotkeys & Tips

Google+ Syntax, Hotkeys & Tips

Get comfortable with Google+... fast!

This cheat sheet by Google+ user Simon Laustsen, includes common syntax, hotkeys and tips you need to know to use Google+ like a pro, like how to mention friends in your posts, how to bold your text and more...



Please Note : A correction:
9. To prevent people from sharing your post, click the arrow at the top-right of the post and choose "Lock this post."

Setting up a Google Plus Page for your Library is Easy

A day or so ago, Google Plus finally opened up organizational Google Plus “Pages” to everyone. These are similar in concept to Facebook Pages: a Google Plus Page is for brands, organizations, and businesses, and a Google Plus Profile is for individuals.
I just set up my library’s Google Plus Page, and it was really easy to do. Here’s what I did:

1. First, you need a personal Google Plus Profile. Just like Facebook, Google wants you to be a real person (here’s a link to mine if you’re curious).
2. Go here -https://plus.google.com/u/0/pages/create - to set up the Page
3. Choose a category for your library. I chose “Company, Institution or Organization” for ours.
4. Fill in your Institution’s name and URL. I chose to put in our full name (Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library) rather than the shortened “topekelibrary” that we often use for social media sites, because our full name shows up on the account.
5. Select a Category – really, a subcategory of the “Company, Institution or Organization” thing you picked up in #3 above. This gives you a lot of suggestions … none of which are Libraries. I ended up choosing Institution (though Government Agency, Education, or Other would have worked ok too).
6. Click Create.
7. Then, you’re given the option to Share your new Google Plus Page with all your Google Plus friends (I did that, but you don’t have to).

After that, I fleshed out our account info a little bit by doing these things:

• Added a photo for the G+ icon (our library’s logo for now)
• Asked our Marketing dept for some pictures to add on the Photos tab
• Created some Circles – I kept the Following circle for random follows, then created these additional Circles: Customers (for library patrons), Staff (for library staff), and Librarians (for librarians who don’t work at my library but want to follow)
• Added links to our Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, and Flickr accounts
• Finally, I sent out our first status update message – “Just setting up Topeka Library’s dandy new Google Plus Page for organizations. Let’s explore it together!”

That’s pretty much it. What will we do with it? For starters, I’ll probably post a couple things a week there, to see if other people in our service area are interested in using Google Plus to connect with the library. After that (I’ll give it 6 months or so) we’ll see.
A couple other examples of Google Plus Library Pages:

• Skokie Public Library
• Falvey Memorial Library
• Springfield City Library
• Garaget (a cool-sounding library in Sweden)
• Cedar Rapids Public Library

update – Joe Murphy has a great post on Google Plus Pages for Libraries. Check it out!
Cool! Now the question is … what will your library DO with a Google Plus Page, now that they are available?

How to manage, delete or edit multiple google+ page(s)?

Google+ pages was a launched just a day ago. You might have decided to give it a shot and created few pages. As we all know, creating a new google+ page was straight forward, just click on the Create a Google+ page link on the bottom right of the Google+ stream page (refer image).

Create google+ page

But it was kind of tricky and little harder to figure out how to manage, delete or edit multiple google+ pages. One of the question got asked by some of our readers was “How to delete a google+ page that i don’t need?”
We thought of writing a quick post to cover the topic,

• Login into your google+ account at http://google.com/+
• Manage pages can be reached in 2 ways
• Type https://plus.google.com/pages/manage in the browser or
• Click on the drop down just below your FirstName on your Google+ stream page and choose Manage Pages option
• You’ll be taken to Your pages page (refer image below) that reads (Your pages : Shown below is the list of Google+ pages you have either created or have been given access to. You can view the page, edit it, or change its settings.)
• Click on the Delete button to delete a page
• Click on Manage button to post or edit google+ page profile, etc..
• You’ll also find a CREATE button to add any more pages

Manage Google+ pages

Hope this post helps people who find it harder to manage pages in Google+. Please feel free to post questions (if any) through comments section below.

Google Plus Brand Pages

Posted on November 9, 2011 by Josh Curcio

Good news! You can now create a brand page on Google Plus. Many of you had probably already done this prematurely and had the page removed. Now you can safely create a page for your business or organization and it will not be removed by Google. Here is what you need to know so far.

1. There is no brand verification in place currently. It is very important that you go and grab your brand now even if you don’t plan to use it. It would not be hard for someone else to hijack your brand without verification. Save yourself the hassle and get started today.
2. Currently it only supports 1 admin, though multiple admin support will be coming in the near future. If you aren’t the one that plans on updating the Google+ brand page, have the person that will be the ongoing admin create the page. You can add team members to a brand, though they can’t really do anything with it. If you are the admin of a page, Google has made it very easy for you to update a status for either your personal page or your brand page…more good news!
3. If you choose to follow other brands and people, their updates will show in your news stream, so choose wisely. If you as a brand add tons of people to your circles, your brand news stream will be cluttered. If you want to add 3000 people to your circles, do it from your personal accounts.

The brand pages are very new, so there will be many changes I’m sure. We will do our best to keep you informed of these changes. In the meantime, it’s probably vital that you add protocol 80, Inc. and Omnis Technologies to your circles.

How To Create Google Plus Fan page

Here is step-by-step tutorial on How to create Google Plus Fan page. In this fast growing virtual world, more and more people are opting to promote their businesses, products, services, online. After Facebook, now its Google’s turn to cross all the world-wide dimensions for promoting products and services over the social networking websites. Google Plus finally launched its Fan page Application. You can now create Google Plus Fan page to complete your business perceptibility on the worldwide web.
Creating a Google Plus Fan page is very much similar to creating a Facebook Fanpage. Without wasting time on jotting up the intro part, coming directly to how to create Google Plus Fan page.

How To Create Google Plus Fan page?

• Login to Google Plus Account
• Bottom right side of the page has an option to create a page. Click on “Create a Page”.

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• Once clicked, you will be soon asked to pick a category for which you want to create Google Plus Fan page. Categories such as Local Business or Place, Product or Brand, a Company, an Institution or an Organization, Arts, Entertainment or Sports,and Other. I picked “Company, Institution or Organization” as my category.
• Typewrite your business name, website and other miscellaneous information. Once done, click “Create”.

• You will soon be taken to a page where you will be required to add a Tagline and upload a logo of your Business.

• Once done, you will be asked to send an update to your stream to make your newly created page known. Click “Finish” once done.

• Yup..you have successfully created your Google Plus Fanpage. You will be quickly taken to your all new Google Plus Fanpage.

• You can now start the conversation, share photos, videos, links and other interesting content publicly. You can also connect your Google Fanpage with your Website like the way you do with Facebook Fanpage.

If you scroll down, you will find options to add more applications to promote your Google Plus Fanpage such as create +1 button to your website, Hangouts, Google+ Direct Connect.
You might also like to check out our post on Desktop Client for Google+.
In short, making Google Plus Fan page is a good useful service in the sense that it gives you a platform to talk to and get feedback from your target audience.