Google Inc. has always been known as a proprietor of cheap web hosting with its popular networks such as Gmail and Gchat. Google+ takes connecting to a new level. The introduction of Google+ into the social media world has made it easier to share content with specific audiences.One of the hardest things to figure out in social media is a strategy. Should you share personal information such as hobbies or home life? What if business colleagues are connected with you?
How much should they see?
Google+ solves this problem by allowing users to assign people to certain “circles.” Users can use the default circles (family, friends, acquaintances and following) or create their own. Then, when a user shares a post, they can choose to relate it to an entire circle, more than one circle, all their circles or just specific people.
Let’s say a corporate finance executive has a Google+ account. He has a large family out of state and uses social media to stay in contact with them. In his spare time, he likes to golf and restore cars. This businessman could easily sort out the people in his Google+ network into four circles: finance, family, golf, automobiles. When he shares a post about a specific topic, he can choose to only share it with the respective circle.
The circles concept is the most intuitive way of sharing information in the social media world right now. Unlike Facebook and Twitter, Google+ puts the decision of who to share content with in the user’s hands in a more efficient way. (Facebook does offer a way to put followers into lists but its feature is clunky and difficult to use.)
In addition to the circles feature, Google+ also offers a unique way to host video chats. The feature is called a hangout and up to ten people can participate in each. The early reviews of hangouts are that they are quick and easy to use. People are surprised by the lack of delay in the video chat compared to other options.
Another feature in Google+ is sparks. Users can choose from a variety of interests and add them to their sparks list. This list shows up on the left side of the Google+ site and allows users to quickly find recent posts about their favorite subjects.
It should be noted that Google also integrated Gchat into its Google+ concept so that users can easily find their chat partners within the network.
If a user is out and about, the Google+ mobile app for Android or iPhone is just as intuitive as the online version and the photo sharing is well done.
It’s clear that Google+ is on the upswing; even if it has only been around for a month