Using Social Media for Business: Getting The Most Out of Google+

Welcome to the second in a series of posts about getting started on different social media platforms! Today we are following up last week’s post on Google+ (also known as G+) by sharing tips for getting more out of using G+ for business.

Now that you have a presence on G+, you may be wondering how you can better use it to promote your creative business. Here are three ways you can get more out of G+!

1. Get active in G+ communities

G+ communities can be great opportunities for networking with other creative business owners, and for promoting your business to your fans.

Search for private communities to network with others in your field and share “behind the scenes” discussions away from the public eye. You can also ask others in your circles for recommendations!

Public communities can be great opportunities to share your expertise and chat with fans. Because G+ allows long posts, you can have detailed conversations, and public posts are easy to share.

You can find out more about G+ communities here on Google.

2. Participate in G+ Hangouts On Air

One of the greatest features of G+ is Hangouts on Air (also known as HOA). HOA allows people to broadcast meetings and workshops live in an interactive format including text chat, video, and audio.

Participating in HOAs about business or creative topics is another great way to improve your business skills for free.

You can also start relationships with influencers in your field after attending Hangouts on Air they participate in or host. You’ll have something to chat about and access to their G+ profile names!

The schedule for high profile HOAs is posted here on Google. You can find more by searching the #HOA and #HangoutsOnAir hashtags, or by checking out the G+ profiles or pages of people in your circles. If you miss a live HOA, you can also watch the archived video, which will post to the host’s YouTube channel.

3. Host your own G+ Hangouts On Air

If you have a solid internet connection, you may want to consider hosting your own Hangout on Air. HOAs are a great way to offer live classes or workshops, answer questions from your fans, interview others in your field, or provide individual or group coaching.

Follow these simple steps to schedule your own HOA.

• From your G+ home page, choose Hangouts from the drop down menu on the left.

 

• Choose “Hangouts on Air” and then, “Create a Hangout on Air.”

• Fill in the HOA form, including a title, description, and time. The duration is an estimation, and you can end early or run over if you’d like.
• You can tag other G+ members in your description and use hashtags. Unless you want to restrict the event, include “Public.” You can also invite people in the “Audience” field (using their email address or G+ profile name) without tagging them in the description.

• After creating your event, you can edit your description or customize the theme (banner) announcing the event. You can select from existing theme options or upload a 1200 x 300 pixels image.

• Running a G+ HOA can be quite confusing at first. For best results, schedule a private test run by inviting a friend or business partner (and excluding the public!). You can delete the video as soon as it posts to YouTube. You may also want to consider wearing earbuds or headphones to limit the reverberation of your microphone and focus your attention on the sound quality.

Now that you’ve got a handle on G+, join us next week for tips for getting started on Twitter!

What are your tips for getting the most out of G+? Comment below and don’t forget to add +CreativeIncomeBlog and +MarieSegaresUndergroundCrafter to your circles!