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2012-12-112018-01-03

Google Plus Communities – The What, Why, and How to Using Google’s Newest Social Media Tool

Last week, Google launched a new feature for the Google+ social media platform call Google + Communities. I’ve been exploring the new Google+ Communities’ features and settings,and I thought I’d share what I discovered with you.

What Are Communities?

Think of Google+ Communities as forums or groups where people can discuss a common topic of interest. Anyone who is a member of the community can read and write new posts within the group.

+Communities have three user levels: Owners, Moderators, and Members. Owners and Moderators manage theie community’s content and memberships and maintain the Community’s atmosphere by deleting spam, curating content, and ensuring the Community’s members stays on topic.

Why? Because +Communities Make it Easier to Read and Share Content that You’re Interested In

Google +Communities also let you more easily segment your +1 sharing so only people interested in the same things you’re sharing will see them. You can share daily posts about new android app news in the Android +Community and share your favorite vegan recipe with the Vegan +Community without having to bore all the Android App Omnivores with your vegan recipes.

This offers marketers a way to segment our online content sharing using the interests of our online fans in new ways, and I’m excited to start testing in the new year! Be sure to look for follow-up posts from Schipul in 2013 once we’ve had time to experiment more with Google +Communities and collect marketing campaign data.

How are +Communities Different from +Circles?

google plus community web sharing option

+1 Buttons on Websites Now Include Your Communities in the Dropdown Options for Sharing Content

Google+ Circles give you tools to more easily segment the People and Brands that you follow on Google+. This is great because you can put a person in multiple circles based on their interests or how you know them and then send messages to circles that aren’t sent to everyone on your list or posted publicly on your Google+ feed.

With +Circles, the people within your circles don’t have any way to know they’re in certain circles and they don’t get to opt-in or opt-out from circles you’ve placed them in. This means if you add a client to a circle you use to share content related to a topic like Cancer awareness, and the person isn’t interested in the topic, they have no way of removing themselves from seeing your cancer awareness news unless they stop following you altogether.

With +Communities however, people join a community around a topic they’re interested in and share content and stories related to that topic with the members of that community. The result is a much needed relief from the flood of social media content streaming across our feeds on topics from friends that we don’t really have an interest in.

This is great for both individuals as well as Brands because it increases engagement online with content and people who share our interests.

Get Started with Your Own Google+ Community

Now I’m going to walk through the instructions for creating a new Google+ Community. You can expect to spend about 5-10 minutes setting up your new community before it’s ready for you to invite others and start new conversations.

You’ll want to have the following items handy before you get started to save some time:

A few sentences or a short paragraph that describes what your community is about
The address of your community’s location if you want to list a physical address (for example – the Netsquared Houston +Community posted it’s location for its monthly meet-ups.)
A photo or image to use for your +Community profile (your image must be at least 250 pixels wide by 250 pixels height)

First Steps – Login to your Google Plus account

From your Google Plus profile, look on the left side list of navigation icons for the new Communities icon and click to go to the +Communities main page. On this page, you can see the communities you’re a member of, discover new communities you might be interested in, and of course – Create a new Community.
Look for the big red button that says ‘Create a Communityâ€ and click:
A new screen will pop-up asking if you want to make your community public or private. You can read more about the different privacy setting options included in the How to Create Google+ Communities help file from Google.

** Once you’ve selected the privacy settings for your community, you cannot change them. **

You have 4 Community Privacy Options to choose from:

Public / Open Membership – Content and members of your community are completely public and searchable / Anyone who wants to join your community can simply click to join without any moderator approval needed.
Public / Moderated Membership – Content and members of your community are completely public and searchable / People can request to join and a moderator must approve the request.
Private / Hidden – Your community’s content and members are completely hidden from search / The owner and moderators have to specifically invite people in order for them to find your community and become a member.
Private / Searchable – Your community’s content and activity is completely hidden from search, but your community is searchable / People can search for your community and request to join, and a moderator must approve the request.

To set-up your Community’s privacy settings, click to select either ‘Publicâ€ or ‘Privateâ€. Each option has additional settings that will display beneath your selected setting, including naming your Community*:

Private Google Plus Communities Settings

* Google Plus uses unique ID numbers for user profiles, Brand pages, and Communities. This means that you can name your Community anything you want, regardless of whether or not another community has the same name. You can even create multiple communities of your own, each with the same name… (if you can think of any reasons why we might want multiple communities with the same names, let me know in the comments below!)

For Public Communities, you can select to allow anyone to join or require a moderator to approve new membership requests.
Private Communities have the options to either remain completely hidden from searches or to allow people to search for and find the community to request to join (*private communities content and members are always hidden from search)

Second Steps: Set-Up Your +Community Profile

Press “Create Community” and you’ll arrive at a page where you can set-up your Community’s profile. This is where you’ll need your photo and description.
Add a tagline (optional) and image or photo for your +Community profile
Click on the “Edit” links to add your Description and location
You can click the “Save” button or the “Done editing” button – either of them work. If you click “skip” then you will still have your community, you just won’t have a custom photo or details about your community yet. This is always editable later on.
Once you’ve customized your profile, you’ll be able to share your new Google Plus Community with others and invite people to join:

Congratulations – You are now a Google + Community Owner!

Managing Members, Moderators and Content

Now that you’ve set-up your community, here’s how to find and use the tools for managing your community to keep the members engaged and the content spam-free.

1) Use the +Community Search Bar to search inside a specific community:

2) Use the “Actions” button underneath your +Community’s profile photo to access the dropdown menu with settings for inviting new people, sharing your community, editing the community, and more options. This is where you’ll go to edit your community:

Owners and Moderators will have more options than Members, and the settings you’ll find here depend on the privacy settings for the +Community.

3) Create Post Categories to keep your +Community’s Content organized:

If you click on the “Edit community” link from the Actions dropdown menu, you’ll be able to create new post categories and use these categories to help community members find what they’re most interested in.

3) Create +Community Events to promote activities going on within your community to members:

Just like Google+ allows you to add and share events from your user profile, you can also add events to Communities. Just click on the “Events” menu option on your profile sidebar to create and manage events.

4) Click the “View All” link on the right side of your +Community Page to access the control settings for member permissions:

This link takes you to a list of all your members and you can view next to their names if they are a member, moderator, or the Owner:

5) Start a Hangout with members of your Community using the “Start a new hangout” button on the right side of the +Community page and connect instantly via your webcam and mic with other members of the community. Head to Google’s Hangouts page for more information about how to get started using Hangouts.

6) Control Email Notifications from Your +Communities with the notification setting on the +Community’s profile sidebar:

By default, the little bell icon next to the Actions dropdown menu is turned off. Switching it to “on” will allow the community to automatically send individual emails to your Google+ primary email address for each new activity or post within that community. This can be really annoying if you’re a member of a community with a thousand people all posting daily. I’m hoping Google will eventually provide better controls for receiving these notices, but in the meantime – you might want to turn this off for communities you aren’t moderating.

Create a Gmail Filter to Save Headaches

I’ve received over 200 emails from Google+ communities since I started exploring about 3 days ago. This is a giant spam headache, and to help me keep important emails at the top of my inbox instead of these individual +Community notifications, I created a filter in my Gmail for all emails that are sent from: “*@plus.google.com”. This filter sends these emails to another folder and skips my inbox.

Here’s a great article on Creating Gmail Filters by Mashable.com to check out if you aren’t using filters.

Google Plus Communities to Check Out

There’s another benefit to +Communities for Brands and individuals alike: participating in other communities besides the one you created! You can participate in other +Communities on topics that are of interest to you or related to your Brand to reach new prospects, find interesting content that you can share with your other social networks, and reach a larger audience online that’s interested in the same topics you are an expert in.

Here are a few +Communities that I’m a member of and recommend you check out:

Google Plus Community Moderators +Community – the community to find answers and share tips for moderating communities

Netsquared Houston +Community – the community where people come together to share ideas and find solutions that accelerate the impact of social benefits within the Houston Community

Space +Community – a place to talk about all things related to space and astronomy, (there’s also an Earth +Community)

WordPress +Community – the community where you can go to find the latest tips and plugins for the open source WordPress CMS.

Share your favorite Google Plus Communities with us in our comments below and we’ll check out your recommendations!

2012-05-232014-11-02

Google+ for Business Combines Social Media with Lead Conversion to Increase Your Sales

If you’re in marketing and wondering if you should be utilizing Google+ for Business – my answer is a resounding Yes!

I’ll admit that I was skeptical when Google+ first released Brand Pages and hesitated to commit to using Google+ as part of our web marketing strategy. There are so many different social media networks and so little time. I wasn’t eager to add another social network to my list. I was wrong to hesitate and thought I’d explain what I’ve learned and how Google+ helps your website convert leads into sales.

How Google Search Works (in a Nutshell)

Google is continuously improving their search engine software to provide more personalized and socially relevant search results for users. There are different opinions out there regarding just how much control we should give to Google in determining how personalized our search results should be, and I’m not going to go into that debate issue here.

Instead, I want to share Google’s brilliant business strategy that has made Data the currency of the internet.

The majority of Google’s products are 100% free and target individual consumers. We, the consumers, use these geeky web tools and instead of paying for them with money, we pay for them by giving Google certain permissions to collect and share information about us.

The majority of Google’s profit comes from ad revenues for pay-per-click, Adwords, and other online advertisements presented to consumers as we surf the web. Google is so profitable because it uses the data from consumers to personalize the ads each person views. This makes the ads more relevant and less annoying to the consumer and also makes the ad more effective and likely to result in a sale for the ad buyer’s business.

Talk about an awesome example of a win-win situation!

Google wins = they earn a profit
Consumers win = free tools they want and less boring internet ads
Businesses win = affordable online advertising with measurable results

The Proof is in the Numbers

Google works, and the proof is in the number of people who are using it. Here are some usage stats:

Around 65% of all U.S. internet searches are done using Google’s search engine. (reported by comscore.com)

According to an eweek.com article, Google averages:

1 billion searches each day
1 billion searchers each week
1 billion unique visits each month
And according to Google co-Founder Larry Page, there are over 100 million users on Google+.

Google has created a service that delivers personal, individual results to each of its more than 1 billion users, profitably.

How Google+ for Business Works

Anyone who creates a free Google account also automatically gets a Google+ plus account now. As I mentioned above, there are currently over 100 million Google+ users and that number is still growing. You’ll need to have your own Google+ personal profile set-up before you can create one for your business.

Google has some really great resources and training videos to help you set-up your organization’s Google+ Brand Page on the Google Plus for Business website. Schipul is partnering with Google’s Houston team to host 2 terrific and Free events: an upcoming webinar on May 29th and a hands-on workshop June 19th for those of you interested in getting help with Google+.

Google+ Brand Pages for businesses have some restrictions and you can’t just go start following all your clients or add them to circles immediately. Since Google’s business model demands protecting the privacy of its users and making sure we all enjoy using Google’s products, businesses can only follow users who first come and add your Brand Page to one of their circles.

Why You Want A Google+ Brand Page

schipul google plus search — Schipul's Google+ Brand Page in Google Search Results

Google+ Brand pages have started to show up in search results in a very noticeable way. For example, if I’m following a certain Brand on Google+ and do a search in Google, their Google+ page shows up on the right hand side at the top of the search results. Some Brands are starting to show up there even if I’m not currently following them or when I search anonymously.

Google hasn’t exactly explained why some Google+ Brand pages are showing up on search results when you aren’t following them, but Mashable has a theory that it could be related to Google’s Direct Connect program. The Direct Connect Program links your Google+ Brand Page and your website. I highly recommend you get a Google+ badge for your website and register with the program.

Google+ Secret Recipe for Higher Lead Conversions

If the premium placement of your Google+ Brand page on search results isn’t motivation enough to add Google+ to your marketing strategy, combine it with the Social aspect that Google’s integrated with their search engine and I believe you’ll see why I’ve changed my tune.

As marketers, we understand the value of relationships when it comes to generating leads that convert to sales. Referrals from existing clients close more often, faster, and at a reduced cost than cold leads. People are far more likely to work with the business a friend or family member recommends than go with a company they’ve never heard of.

One recent study shared on econsultancy.com’s website showed that 88% of consumers look at reviews from other customers before making a purchase decision. 52% of those surveyed said their purchasing decisions were influenced by their friends’ recommendations. The study also showed that just by having reviews or testimonials on your website increased your lead conversion rate by over 60% in most cases.

We already know that when your prospects come to your website and read positive reviews of your work, they have a higher chance of converting to become a client. Since Google+ results now show up on Google search results, Google+ gives prospects your positive reviews and recommendations from the search results page. Prospects can compare the results with other competing sites before clicking through to a website. If the research is accurate, then that means there is a good chance that more people will visit the websites of companies with more positive reviews from Google+.

As an added bonus, the Google search results from Google+ also show the searcher who in their network has +1‘d your business, implying they recommend you.

Google+ Brand Pages are the new digital version of the “Ask for a Referral” postcard used by traditional direct marketers. Asking for referrals has always been a very effective marketing strategy, in my experience.

Please +1 Schipul’s Google+ Page

Come check out Schipul’s Google+ Brand Page and tell us what you think about using Google+ for business.

Be sure to register for one of our upcoming Free Google+ training events before they sell out:

GOOGLE+ FOR BUSINESS WEBINAR – Tuesday May 29th, 2012 1:30PM to 2:30PM CST

Google Hands-On Workshop – Tuesday June 19th, 2012, Details to be Announced Soon!

2011-06-302014-11-02

Google + is Here and Why You Should Care

Last night, I received my coveted invite to join Google + and I immediately started playing with it while Dexter played in the background. Like so many social media nerds, I was excited to finally get my hands dirty with what some are calling a ‘Facebook killer.â€

So what is Google +?

Google + is Google’s new social network service and is currently in limited field trial. Unlike Google Wave and Buzz, Google + immediately seems more promising due to its slick design which users will love.

At first glance, the minimalist interface is very similar to Facebook.

However unlike the debacle with Buzz, Google + puts privacy in the forefront, making the service innovative and fun to use. Here at Schipul, everyone has been geeking out over it and Google + is truly, as PC Mag’s Mark Hachman states, ‘a social network for geeks.â€

The new social network service is ripped with some really cool features as well which I will discuss next.

So What about these Google + Features?

So it seems Google really thought about these features and realized that life is a little more dynamic than just the Public / Private dichotomy that Facebook and Twitter has created. Instead Google + provides a granular and exciting way to share our lives with the people we know.

This will be a basic overview of Google + features. In the coming days we will blog more in-depth reviews of each feature but for now, let’s see what’s inside Google +.

Google Circles

Social networking is about connecting with people and sharing information. With Google Circles, it’s really easy to do this. Google Circles is basically like Facebook friends lists and groups or Twitter lists but with more control and visualization.

Here’s an example of how they look:

Basically, you can drag-and-drop people in the circles you create. For example, I created a Schipulites circle for my coworkers. With Google +, you now have more control with who you share with at a granular level.

Google + Stream

The stream is very similar to the Facebook home feed which users will appreciate. Here is the Facebook home feed:

Here is the stream for Google +:

This is where you will enter a status update, share photos and videos, etc. As you can see the design is slick and sexy, typical of Google.

Google Sparks

Google Sparks is a great feature that helps you find things to share. Think of it like Google Alerts that allows you to follow topics you’re interested in. Here’s an example of how it looks when I search for topics on SEO.

Google Sparks makes it easy to browse suggested topics or you can set your interests using keyword-based searches. Most importantly, it’s really easy to share content.

Hangouts: Group Video Chat

This feature is pretty neat. With Hangouts, you can video chat up to 10 people at a time. Here’s an example of how it looks from Search Engine Land.

This feature looks like it’s going to be useful especially for business meetings. The way it works is when someone initiates a Hangout, it shows up on your feed and notifies your friends. There is however a 10 person limit.

Huddle: Mass Texting and Group Chat

This is the feature, besides Google Circles, I’m most excited about. Huddles is a mass texting and group chat service that turns your different conversations into one simple group chat. Can you imagine? Bar hopping with friends will no longer be an ordeal. It will be simple and painless to get everyone on the same page or update people on where to meet for another crazy night of Red Stripes and darts.

What about the +1 Button?

Just to be clear, Google + is different from +1. Google + is Google’s social network and + 1 is Google’s share button.

Like Facebook’s ‘Likeâ€ button, the +1 share button makes it easy to identify content that you approve or think is cool. It’s a great way to recommend awesome content to your friends, coworkers and family. This is how it looks in the search results when I do a search for ‘Houston Coffee Spotsâ€ and +1’d the result.

The content you +1 will show up on your Google Profile. Just like in the way that anything you like on Facebook can be liked with Facebook ‘Likeâ€ buttons.

So, you might have also noticed Google +1 buttons starting to appear in search results and publishers adding the button to their sites. If you want to install the Google +1 button on your site be sure to check out our ‘HOWTO: Install Google +1 Share Button on Your Siteâ€ blog post on our SEM blog.

Currently however, the content you +1’d does not feed into Google +. It doesn’t really make sense but I suspect Google will fix this before the service becomes available to everyone. The only way you can see what people have +1’d is if you remember to go to a person’s Google profile. For example:

So that is Google + in a nutshell. In the coming days, we will post more in-depth articles on how to use Google + for your business, so be sure to keep a lookout.

If you got an invite to join Google +, we would love to hear what you think about it. Let us know in the comments below. For now, I’m going to continue getting my Google + on.

Need help getting Google+ on your website?

Check out our handy how to install Google+ button help file’HOWTO: Install Google +1 Share Button on Your Siteâ€ blog post and if you’re brain is still hungry, we’ve got some great social media and online technology help files to help you take it to the next level.

Let us know how we can help! Need a hand getting Google+1 on your website or blog? We’re here for you!

Radames Ortiz is a SEO Analyst at Schipul – The Web Marketing Company in Houston Texas