Introduction to Google+: What makes it unique from Facebook

Are you still on the fence in getting a Google+ account? Have you even heard of Google + yet? Here is some info about this new social media platform which is creating a little more buzz than Googles’ previous attempts at social media. Some say it is doomed to fail, and certainly it lacks the wide audience that Facebook enjoys, seeming to be mainly populated by savvy online business people.

However Googles latest algorithm change to include social signals as a ranking factor may see Google plus stick around and become an important avenue for authority building and online reputation management.

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Google+ 1

Just like Facebook has its “like” feature, Google+ has its Google+1. However, unlike the former, Google+1 has a bit more value. Google recognizes this as a vote for the page that has been +1’d, proving its relevancy and value. Google has just released a new algorithm change called Search Plus which blends search results with the social activities of you and your friends on sites like Google + and other public social media sites. This does not include Facebook and Twitter at this stage.

Google+ Circles

Google Circles make it easier to share information especially for a specified group. Through this feature, you can create different groups called circles and add people to it. In that way, personal events and information will not be shared to the public. It will only be limited to your family and friends. It is also the case when you want to share information about your business. You would want business contacts to be your audience and you can select your business contacts circles so that they can only view this content.

Google+ Hangout

Hangouts is actually a video chat feature, similar to skype, inside Google+. What makes it unique is that it can accommodate 10 people video chatting with each other. Most of all, it is very easy to use this feature.

Google+ Sparks

Google+ considers the interests of users and created Google+ Sparks. It organizes stories in one page for you to browse. It is also easy to share this content with just one click.

Google+ Messenger

This is another special feature of this social networking platform that focuses on text messaging. It huddles conversations in a single page for easy chatting experience. Since this is for text messaging only, it is not available in a desktop version.

Google+ Page

For those who have their own business, you can create a business page, similar to Facebook. This is a good way to build your brand and community. It is a requirement before setting up a Google+ Page to have your own Google+ account.

 Apart from that, Google+ indexes all public posts which is great for SEO. Overall, Google+ is a good social networking platform whether it may be for personal or business use. It remains to be seen whether it will be taken up by the masses and reach the heights of Facebook and Twitter, or simply fade into insignificance. One thing is for sure, Google are giving it a red hot go.