Only less than a month of Google+’s public launch it has achieved an awe-inspiring kick start. Google+ now has 10 users joining per second. By now while you were reading the past two sentences almost 20 – 50 users would have joined Google+. If you think its mission impossible then you are wrong. With almost 20 million users (still counting) on Google+ not all of them use its feature for the specified purpose. Many users have successfully managed to find ways to enhance uses of the Google+ features especially the “circles” concept.
I compiled the most suave uses of Google+ circles that are deployed by me and some of my co-bloggers. They are …
Teach & Learn
A friend of mine who is a professor has created two circles named students and research scholars. In the students circle he shares many knowledgeable facts that make the students learn. He also shares certain strategies and tips for project work, attending viva, etc. On the other hand he asks his doubts to the research scholars through the other circle and also posts certain topics where he needs their advice. Thus he teaches and learns without any interruption or chaos.
Crowd sourcing
This is a common method deployed by various users including me. This use is very simple, all we got to do is create a circle for co-bloggers or followers and ask questions or polls in order to know the response. I personally asked many questions and got tremendous response which benefited me when I need public responses for certain topics I write upon.
Google+ Conversations
This can be done in almost all of your circles, still I enhance this feature by making circles for people who interact more (you can name it as chatterboxes). In this circle you will be sure to get many responses and this type of use will make a good time pass as well as you can get many informative responses. For instance one of my friends asked what’s your favorite circle’s name and the responses were hilarious ranging from “Who I’ve kissed” to “Whom I want to kill”, Gryffindor, Muggles (surely harry potter mania has not yet ended), etc.
Sorting
Well this is the conventional use of circles, yeah the privacy part. People can now sort easier and share what they want unlike Facebook where they need to hide the status (from unwanted people) every time they post.
Personal
This is name of my circle I have created where am the only member. This circle helps me to use Google plus as a scrapbook thus I can update my appointments, post my day’s routine and even share my innermost feelings (as I do to my diary).
Organize
This is what many professionals do especially the ones who always expect decency and etiquette. The organization can be done as
Family
- Immediate
- Extended
Friends
- Dears
- Distant
Acquaintances
Work People
- Peers
- Bosses
Followers
I Follow
Intimate (your spouse, girl or boy friend)
Myself
This not only looks organized but it will also be easy for you to search people and add people (rather than having some funny names).
Future
Although Google+ is tight lipped about its future enhancements many people are thinking with a futuristic approach i.e. they are enhancing their circles for features like topic related search, search for posts etc. This can be used clearly only when there is some enhancements done to current Google+.
How do you use your Google plus circles effectively? Share with us.
Good post !
Call me a pesimist but aren’t these types of functions already in use in other formats? If you need to share you have forums and there are plenty of CRM products out there that do what this type of thing does.
Most Forum sw has the means to set layers of persmissions to their communities so what does this bring apart from a means to surrender your data to the big G?
I believe that this is only taking off because its a shiny new object and its got Googles name on it – i just cant see serious business and education communities dropping what they already have and putting their data in the hands of google.
Also how many stabs have Google had at Social Media in the past only to fall flat?
The whole thing seems far too complex to me, dont forget its the simple things that work best – twitter, FB
I dont like it and just dont see the need for it…
Well well, I won’t call you a pessimist for expressing your views. I am sure that there are always mixed opinion and thoughts on this whole Google plus thing (and I agree with the shiny object point)!
Thanks for your comment.
Jane,
I have been on a lot of vacation for the past few months and I am only just now jumping on the Google bandwagon.
I must say that even though I am a little bit leery about so much of our internet usage in the hands of Google (when do they re-title “The Internet” to “the Google”) I am actually fairly impressed with Google Plus.
It seems pretty well integrated and i am already thinking about focusing more on Google Plus than on FB.
Anyhow, though I haven’t really organized my circles yet, I must say the ways to separate the streams and really organize by whatever method you desire is one of the things i love about Google Plus as a social Network
Steve certainly, I’m already focusing more on G+ than FB. Well there’s nothing good than the sweet interaction I see at Google plus. People hesitate a bit to interact (leave comments apart from liking) on FB. But with Google plus it is easier to strike a conversation 🙂
Nice post, thanks for sharing!
You’re very welcome.
While looks like a lot of people is signing for G+, but how many actually using it.
Haha, my friends ‘drop out’ after 1 day. Maybe not used to it? or not that used by lot of people?
Well, to be honest, its a matter of preference Bill. May be your friends didn’t like it or they didn’t get used to it. But the recent changes introduced by Facebook surely says that many people jumped out of Facebook boat to catch G+ boat!
Thanks for your comment 🙂
Can you believe I still have not signed up for Google +?
I am not convinced the additional membership will bring any value to my life or my business. However you do discuss some compelling features I was not aware Google + offers.
Thank you!
indeed google+ is a good platform to market yourself or your company as you can read the advantages it has in the article above. Thank you so such a nice compiled article.