In 2011 Google launched a new breed of social networking called Google+. The intention of this social media platform is to provide an amalgamation of several services we already use, but do it better.
The latest stats from SocialStatistics announced in February of 2012 that the band Coldplay became the top page on Google+ with 618,356 followers. So how can you maximize on this new trend in social media and use it to your professional benefit?
Here are some highlights of Google+ and how this new phenomenon can work for your business:
“Circles” are groups of your contacts
This can be beneficial for several reasons. If you’re a family medicine practice for example, you can create your groups based on their age or length of time certain patients have been with you. This makes sharing the right message with the right patient easier.
“Sparks” helps you find content based on your interests
This feature is similar to Google reader, except it brings content to you automatically based on the interests you input. This is great for feeding you relevant news and articles based on your specialty or anything you need to be kept informed about. It will provide links based on your interests to articles, videos, photos and more.
“Hangout” allows you to video chat with any group in your contacts
This is basically just video chat, but let’s say you have a group in your “circles” that is made up of all your staff and you need to communicate while away from the office. This is an easy gateway for the purpose of virtual meetings.
Other features like a group messaging application and mobile application can have multiple uses too. So how do you get Google+? Right now, you need to have an account with Gmail or another Google service to take advantage of it. If you do not have one, sign-up is easy and only takes a few minutes.
If you have questions about how social media services like Google+, Facebook, Twitter and other web sites can help your practice, don’t hesitate to contact me.
CREDITS
story by MIKE JOHNSON, Associate Publisher
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BIO: Mike Johnson comes from 11 years in publishing as the former Ad Director and Publisher of Orlando Weekly. Mike enjoys cycling, swimming, triathlons, yoga, and spending time outdoors with his family. Mike resides with his wife Shannon, a certified personal trainer, and their two children in Lakeland.