Courtesy of altimetergroup.com

The Enterprise Surprise

Perhaps Google+ has finally realized that it will never be the ‘next’ Facebook – whatever has happened, Google+ may finally be heading in the right direction.

Google+ already sparks business interest because of its ‘SEO’ potential, but now with new features like restricted posts for app customers – which gives businesses the power to control who sees their posts – more businesses are sitting up and taking notice.

The app market is growing, and competition is one the rise. Microsoft just bought Yammer for 1.2 billion dollars, so Google+ is looking to reclaim some of the market. Recently, Google has been downplaying its similarities to Facebook, instead calling itself an ‘upgrade.’

Interesting tactic, seeing as when Google+ was launched there were millions of people all over the internet who said that it was built to be a direct challenge to Facebook. You have to admire the resilience of a platform that re-invents itself after initial ‘failure.’

The ‘enterprise’ version of Google+ will be a social network for businesses. People will be able to communicate on this platform, outside of email, at work. At least, that’s the idea.

Google Apps certainly has the juice to compete with Microsoft’s ‘Yammer’ and perhaps even more established business networks like LinkedIn.

A Few Fancy New Features

• Video meetings integrated with gmail, docs and calendar
• Admin controls for business users
• Company specific viewing of certain posts
• Google+ calendar integrated directly with Hangouts

Right now, these features are free until the end of 2013, says Google. This makes me worry that someone deep in the bowels of Google is going to monetize the heck out of these features in the future. That’s one way to permanently end this social network.

Unless Google can get millions of people using Google+ compulsively at work, demanding money for their services will NEVER work. Google may be a great business platform, but it could easily be ruined by over-ambition or money-grubbing.

These features are only available to Google apps customers by the way, so it may not be ideal for the small business with 0 investment.

Time will tell whether this bold move by Google will pay off. Personally, I think it’s a nod in the right direction. Google+ is great with apps, and its SEO potential is invaluable.

On SEO alone, Google has already snagged some business platforms. Small businesses are using it, strictly for that. But as I said, this could go one of two ways. Either it’s an excellent play by Google, or another desperate attempt to make Google+ relevant before it fizzles out.

Do you like the new Google+ enterprise features, and will they make you use Google+ more often? I want to hear it from you!

Courtesy of digitaltrends.com

#1: Improve Internal Communication

Set a time to host internal meetings via hangout’s excellent video function, and you’ll find that your employees are more eager to attend your meetings. Everyone will always be able to connect and share, so meetings won’t be stalled by absentees or missing management. Swap documents, and use the ‘share screen’ function to collaborate on something together.

#2: Become a Hangouts Training Wiz

Use your Google Hangouts account to record training discussion sessions, live with your employees. That way you can build up a library of easy-to-access training videos that future employees can view and learn from. Savvy businesses might even find a way of monetizing these videos for additional passive income online, or to improve their Youtube traffic.

#3: Client Meetings

Host private client meetings with your clients, and you’ll be able to record them for later viewing. Plus you can connect with up to 10 clients from around the world, to host a webinar or to offer your consulting services over the internet. Share learning materials with them, project details and discuss important points.

#4: Client Testimonials, Case Studies and Demos

Looking for a great way to hook new clients? Use Google+ hangouts to give live demonstrations of your work, or share live case studies with them. These presentations will be more personal, resulting in more clients gained. Plus you’ll have the chance to collect more video testimonials than ever before, directly from your clients.

#5: Twitter Market Research Videos

Invite 10 or so if your most active Twitter users to join you for a market research webinar, and reward them with free stuff. Once they’re live, get them to answer all the questions you can, and gather that all important market research. Then posts the videos online to increase your online traffic, and expand your Youtube feed.

#6: Answer Customer Questions

You probably get sent queries all the time – if they’re knowledge based, host your own Q&A on hangouts to answer these questions. Answer them live on video and your fans will get to know you better. This in turn will improve every aspect of your online profile. Gain more fans, more clients and become a rockstar customer service business.

These 6 great ways to use Google+ hangouts are just the tip of the iceberg. Add casual meetings, interesting ways to enhance your Youtube feed and more, and there are literally dozens of other ways to take advantage of this video feature.

Play around with hangouts and see what works. It’s quick, easy and a great way to support your more challenging social pages.

How do you use Google+ hangouts to improve your business? Leave your answer below!

Courtesy of techland.time.com

#1: Do Something Original That Has Merit

Every social networking site that works, does so because people can’t get enough of it. But why bother on Google+ when the other social sites are more fun? Google+ needs to invent something that will keep people coming back and spending time on the platform – because they are so addicted to it.

#2: Attract The Female Vote

Google+ is 70% male, and stats have already proven that its woman that tend to share more online. Perhaps their growth has been stunted because their site mainly appeals to business orientated men? Either way, we think they need to attract more women. Pinterest did, and they’re the ones doing so well.

#3: Redesign The Redesign

Google+ recently redesigned their site…and made it worse. Props to Google for listening to the world and changing it, but boy did they go horribly wrong. Get some super-designers over from Youtube and do it again. Try to be different. Google+ looks too much like a software dashboard, instead of a fun social network.

#4: Focus on The Hangouts Feature

Google+ made a splash for a while with their innovative ‘Hangouts’ video feature. People enjoyed it, but it wasn’t enough to keep them coming back. Google+ only has about 6 million active users, and these users aren’t there to have fun, they’re there for SEO. Perhaps Google+ needs to focus on what has already worked? Develop Hangouts!

#5: Lose The People Flooding

Circles was a nice idea that never translated into decent user-ship. Controlling your privacy like a paranoid schizophrenic was fun for a few hours, then the people flooding started. Instead of creating streamlined lists with friends, everyone ended up with Circles full of strangers. LinkedIn knew that wouldn’t work!

#6: No Sense of Personality on Google+

Google+ doesn’t allow an individual to create a profile based on their personality. It’s all very limited and controlled. You can have a presence on Google+, but you can’t leave messages for your friends, or create a social environment that will make your friends want to check out how you express yourself online.

#7: Go Back To Basics

Google+ launched with a lot of hype. But they’ve always been too complex, swapping simplicity for cleverness. It’s time to cut
out the parts of Google+ that are clever, and instead make them simple. Google+ needs to go back to the basics of social network creation.

#8: The Last Resort

If Google+ continues to fail, they’ll need a miracle to recover. Luckily, Google has deep pockets. In fact, Google should just buy something that works, and integrate it into Google+. If they do this soon, the platform might be saved.

How do you think Google+ could improve? I want to know!

Courtesy of Avenuesocial.com

Trend #1: Mobile Devices Go Mainstream

Last year we saw a massive increase in mobile device sales, which means that 2012 is going to be the year of the tablet. With so many new people buying iPads and Galaxy tabs, it’s bound to affect where social communication is heading. In fact, a good financial investment right now, would be a mobile application.

Mobile apps are fun on phones – but let’s be honest, the screens are small, and it can be irritating using them. With tablets on the rise, apps mean business. You can get as technical and as creative as you want, and people will use your app. Get a mobile app created this year, for an increase in promotion and sales.

Trend #2: Youtube Television Potential

With the revamp of Youtube, comes a boost in subscriber potential – which means that people are investing more time in singular Youtube feeds. As a small business you should think about sinking some cash into your channel, by creating ‘series’ of follow on videos that people can watch instead of television. Use your Youtube channel as a way to keep your clients eyes on your business.

Trend #3: Evolving E-commerce Solutions

This year we’ll see e-commerce improved by individual applications that can be added onto your page. Enhance your clients buying experience by adding profiles, features and new functionality to your e-commerce page. These pages will make the most money, as they further the current ‘personalization’ trend that is circulating the internet. Personalize your customer’s time on your site!

Trend #4: Gear Up For New Advertising Opportunities

With Facebook recently announcing their plans to integrate ads in mobile, and Google’s move towards personalized adverts during search – this is a great year to establish an online advertising budget. Your ads will be seen by the right people, at the right time – and this means lots of traffic and sales for you. Investigate which ad platforms will get you the most ‘bang for your buck’ and take the plunge.

Trend #5: Get More Face Time To Build Larger Communities

Progressively, your fans want to be able to interact with you on really personal levels. When you make the effort, and host live chats on Google+, or real time Twitter sessions – you’ll be rewarded with a lot of new fans. And as all social marketers know, a larger community means larger sales.

Use these incredible trends to give your small business the edge in a highly competitive market. Done properly, these business investments can be incorporated into a small budget. Over time, you’ll reap the financial rewards!

Any more social media trends that you’d like to add to our list? Tell us about them below!

This will change everything.

Courtesy of crazyengineers.com

Your Google+ Business Page

We’ve spoken previously about the precarious nature of Google+, and how the social network seemed to be losing ground. Now with the launch of their business pages, we’re bound to see another boost in signups, and people returning to complete a very advantageous business presence on the platform. Google is indexing each Google+ business page super fast, and this alone could change the tide for Google+.

They’ve included a handy little feature called Direct Connect, which allows Google search users to add a ‘+’ in front of their search term, if they would like to find a company listed on Google+. In other words, if you want to find our presence there, simply type +socialmediamagic into the Google search bar. This is quick, easy, and very appealing for businesses that want to secure prominent keywords.

The Impact of Your Google+ Page

Now your business can take advantage of the other features on Google+, for your company page. The hangouts feature alone could open several new revenue streams for you, as your business delves into livecasting, webinars and live chat with your fans and clients.

Your circles will get an enormous boost from Direct Connect, as fans are able to find you easily, then +1 or add you to their circles, right from a basic Google search. The page layout seems remarkably Facebook-esque, but this isn’t a bad thing. In fact, it will give new users the confidence to create beautiful profiles for their businesses.

Courtesy of launch.is

Should You Get a Google+ Page?

Yes. There are enough benefits now – so you’ll want to establish a community on this network. You’ll be able to use Google+ as a promotional tool, and even a cloud based work tool – as your team members, managers and clients will all be in certain circles. Google+ has only just launched this new feature, so it will be some time until they’ve sorted out the kinks.

One small thing we don’t like, is that fans can’t post on your business page wall. Having said that, we can’t expect Google+ to be exactly like Facebook. Are they rivals yet? No. Facebook is still miles ahead of Google+, and we don’t expect this to change anytime soon. As a platform in its own right however, Google+ is worth including in your next social marketing plan.

All you have to do is sign up for a Google+ profile, and on the homepage click on the Google+ create a page. It will take you to a set up screen, where you can fill in your details and get started. The sooner you do it the better, so get cracking!

Do you like the new Google+ business pages? Please tell us what you like or don’t like about the new features.

Courtesy of vsee.com

Using Google+ Hangouts

The Hangouts section of Google+ is where a lot of the main action happens between friends, groups, business contacts, or anyone willing to join in the conversation and meet new people. It’s basically a live video chatroom, where you can speak with up to nine different people at once. Don’t worry about the limit right now, Google+ is going to expand it soon. First you’ll have to invite people to your ‘chatroom,’ and you can do this by selecting one of three options.

Invite friends by email that aren’t on Google+, invite friends from your circles or leave it public, so anyone can decide to pop in. Once all of your friends have arrived, you can chat to them in person, or use the text chat option as well. There is a Youtube button that means you can watch videos with the people in your Hangout. In the extras section, you can even work on a Google document with your group.

How Do You Use Hangouts For Work?

Google+ is a great tool for any person that needs to connect with people when they aren’t at the office, or aren’t in the country. All over the US clubs, groups, societies and companies are using Google+ to bring people together. Collaborate on a project with co-workers or host a video conference with a few of your clients – the applications are virtually limitless.

New to Hangouts is the Hangouts on Air concept, that allows Google+ users to broadcast live videos to the public. This is great for anyone that loves to webcast. It seems the whole goal of Hangouts is to eventually become a fully integrated collaboration tool. There is even screensharing and a sketchpad tool. Will this usher in a new generation of live-cast videos? Perhaps.

Here are some great ideas on how you can use the new Hangouts. Start a vlog, and gain a following by doing it on Google+. Do you love reviewing products? Do it in Hangouts. Use it for expert Q&A sessions, or to clear up project details with a new client or two. Why don’t you crowd source new ideas from the public, or announce you need help with a project and see who answers!

This is an excellent tool for developing your personal brand on the internet. It makes using video online easy and fun again. It also feels more fun that using a similar program, like skype. This is definitely one of the better things to come out of Google+, we hope they run with it, and keep developing the concept.

Have you used Hangouts yet? What do you think of it? We’d like to hear what you have to say.

Courtesy of gradualmoneyearner.com

Reports are pouring in that Google+ is better than Facebook, and even trumps the business network site LinkedIn. Creating a solid business presence on this site has many instant benefits – as everything is connected to Google, and its dominant search engine power on the internet. It could turn out to be the quickest way to secure niche-related keywords in your field.

The business pages haven’t been launched yet, but you can still get in early and start creating a presence for your business on the platform, with a profile page. Simply fill in the details (much like your Facebook profile) and begin to use the various new functions that Google+ has to offer. As we mentioned earlier, this platform could be highly valuable for generating traffic to your business website.

All you have to do is begin a little cross promotion on your profile. This means adding all of your different networks to your Google+ profile, and promoting them to gain quality inbound links to your other sites. Be careful to write keyword rich descriptions where you can about your business – in the employment section, about, and in the various chat areas, where you can introduce yourself as a business owner.

Once Google+ launches their business profiles, you can focus on building that page. Much like Facebook, you really will want a business profile on this platform. It will make all the difference when you start promoting and marketing your company there.

Google+ makes sharing content easy, which is great news for business that have comprehensive social media and content marketing strategies already in place. Use Circles, Huddle, Hangouts – all the new functions – to share your articles, blog posts, images, videos, podcasts and slideshows. You might even make some great connections with other business owners in your niche.

The world of online marketing is changing once again, and as business owners, we all need to be aware that Google+ could be a mighty force in our internet marketing campaigns in 2012. As always with new social sites, you’ll want to get on this platform early. It will help you build your community faster, and you’ll be able to start earning from Google+ sooner.

Initial expert reports are in, and the world seems to be embracing Google+, despite Google’s long line of dismal failures. Our advice, is to integrate it into your social marketing plan now. Facebook and Twitter will go on – we don’t believe for one minute that Google+ will destroy them, but this doesn’t mean Google+ won’t become an independent social power in its own right.

Have you tried Google+ yet? If so, what do you think? Is it a site you’d return to as often as Facebook? Leave your comment for us!

Courtesy of businessinsider.com

Google+ addresses many of the problems fans have with Facebook, and there are visible improvements in its development. But – to put it in the context of a childhood analogy – a kid will always play with their favourite toy, broken or not.

Will Google+ just be another new toy that we all leave lying on the kitchen floor? Let’s take a look at how it could improve network building and our presence on social media sites.

Google+ Insights

With Google+, Google is rolling out a more efficient way to share with different groups of people. They call it ‘circles,’ and you can segment different friends, family and work colleagues into groups. While all of these circles will still be contained on your Google+ network, it allows you to share information in a much more controlled environment. This is great idea, but as many tech bloggers have explained – it makes sharing a whole lot more fangled.

Google says that sharing is sloppy, and on sites like Facebook – everyone is your friend and gets to see your private messages. This isn’t the whole truth of course, as it ignores the Facebook edgerank system. But this sort of sharing does have incredible possibilities for businesses. You’ll be able to segment various clients and connect to groups of them for specific tasks. And Google+ will have it all, image and video sharing, chat and targeted interest search.

Let’s take a closer look at the other 3 main features of Google+:

Sparks – Google’s new online sharing engine, that tracks what you love, and feeds it to you in a neat, digestible section on your profile. Great news for businesses, as the conversation around products people really love will get a major boost.

Hangouts – The on-screen get together location, between friends, or various people in your group – via live video feeds. Useful for mass conferencing, or if you just want to spend a few minutes of your day chatting with some friends.

Mobile – Google’s new mobile idea, lets people know where you are (geo-location) and will instantly upload photos of you onto the internet if you let it. It’s a very useful photo sharing service – and a great way to let your colleagues know when they are late for the meeting.

Google+ is poised to become the all-in-one Google solution to social networking. You know that new black bar across your Google homepage? It’s here to stay, and more – connect all other Google apps to you. Having one single location built for connectivity will do marvels for your social media presence.

Everything you do will be indexed and valuable. Will Google+ charge onto the internet and steal people from Facebook? We’ll see. Until then, it’s always best to do what the giant search engine suggests. Being a thought leader means early adoption!

What do you think of Google+? Dead in the water, or Facebook’s impending doom? Leave your comment below, right now!