Friday

Google Plus Tips for the Week

On this week's Google+ tips we're looking at:


1. The "Where Am I?"app for Hangouts

2. Re-sharing Google Plus posts

3. Why You Shouldn't be a “Blue Head”



The "Where Am I?" app - Your Hangout GPS


Where Am I app from inside Hangout


Has this happened to you?

1. You're enjoying a hangout chat with friends or doing a serious HOA on the plight of MLM marketers on Google+ when you accidentally hit the "red phone" icon and hang up.

2. You realize your computer is frozen when it dawns on you that you've been talking to a motionless face for the last five minutes.

3. You get frantic emails and notifications from people who can’t find how to get into the Hangout.

One of the biggest complaints I hear about Hangouts is the difficulty finding where to join them. It’s almost as if there are too many options - especially for regular hangout video calls (HVC’s).

Well, there’s an app for that!

Part of my regular pre #GPlusLunchBunch show preparation is to load up my Hangout Toolbox Lower Third(s), Comment Tracker links and the Where Am I? app.

As the name implies, the Where Am I app let’s you and your guests know where you’re “hanging out”.

I copy and paste the Where Am I urls on a clipboard so if I get disconnected from a hangout, I can re enter it easily as opposed to going to my, or the host’s profile page to join.

If you haven’t got the app yet, click on the link, open the hangout and the app will be installed.


where am I app for Google Plus hangouts



Re sharing Google Plus posts



Martin Shervington recently posted on G+ about sharing a post by embedding its link into a new post instead of sharing via the “share” option.

One of the limitations of sharing a “shared” post on Google+ is that we lose the commentary from the “sharer” as we’re only seeing the original post.

By sharing it as an embedded link, the post is treated like any other shared article. The image and title link back to the G+ post and not to the original. This way, we see who reshared the post along with their commentary.

Here’s an experiment I did last night…(try to stay with me here, there's lots of reshares of sharers who reshared etc.)

1. I shared Luis Galarza's reshare of Ryan Hanley's post (which was a share of Mark Schaefer's blog post) using the usual method by clicking on the share icon at bottom of post. (told you)

Luis Google plus share



Google Plus reshare 5



2. The shared post looks like this. Note that we lose Luis' comments. The image links back to the Mark Schaefer blog.

Google Plus reshare of post 4

3. Instead of sharing from bottom of post, I grabbed the link to Luis' post by clicking on the arrow at top right and choosing "link to post". I copied it when it popped up and pasted into the link section of a new post.

google plus reshare post 3

This created a new G+ post that links to Luis’ post as it would to any article shared from the web. (These “shares” won’t show as reshares in “Ripples”.)

google plus reshare 2

When I click on the image or title, instead of going to Ryan's share of Mark Schaefer’s article, it goes to Luis’ G+ post (reshare).

google plus reshare post

This gives us another option for sharing posts on Google+. When someone has taken time to add value to a reshare, it's good to be able to share that as well.
(FYI - The word "share" or derivative, was used 20 times in this short piece.)


Are You a "Blue Head"?


google plus blue head

Please! Please! Please!

Make the very first thing you do when you open any social media account, the uploading of a clear and friendly profile photo.

Nothing says “Don’t circle me” like a blue head.

People ignore “blue heads”. You might as well try to join the Rotary Club with a bag over your head.

If you’re not sure how to change your profile photo, here are directions from Google support: (also includes directions for Android, iOS and mobile web)
Desktop
  1. Open Google+ and select Profile from the drop-down menu in the upper left corner.
  2. Click About below your cover photo.
  3. Place your cursor over the blank face, or your profile picture if you have one > click the camera icon.
  4. Use your cursor to move your chosen photo into the “Drag photo here” box. You can also click Select a photo from your computer to choose a photo file.
  5. Crop your photo > click Save as profile photo in the lower left corner.
Your profile image is 270px by 270px and is displayed as a circle.
Your photo should be front facing and well lit. This is especially important as this is your Google profile image and will follow you around the internet wherever your content shows up. See Google Authorship.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.
If you found it helpful, please share.
If you need help setting up and hosting Hangouts, I offer one on one consulting and coaching.

And if you haven’t already, join our Google+ Tips & Topics Community.
You can catch up on past #GPlusLunchBunch shows on my YouTube channel or Google+ Page.


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