Google+ is Google's social networking platform that allows users to connect with friends and share updates, photos, videos and documents. Key features include Circles for organizing contacts, Hangouts for video chatting, and integration with other Google services like Photos and Drive. While the platform is still growing, advantages include strong privacy controls, simple group communication tools, and a tech-oriented user base.

2. WHAT IS GOOGLE +?
• Social networking “project” brought to you by Google
• Business Communication Tool
• Mobile/Phone Services
• Document Services
• Game Platform
• http://youtu.be/xwnJ5Bl4kLI

3. DOWNSIDES TO GOOGLE +
• Where is everybody?
• Doesn’t intuitively find friends
• Must have a Google account, or use a specialized app to sign up
• Invite only launch led to a largely tech community, but not many others
(yet)
• Doesn’t link effectively with existing social networking products
• Some functions are still limited to advanced users, obvious add-ins
must be crafted

4. WHY WOULD YOU USE GOOGLE +?
• Unique Privacy Control
• Web Services Integration with other online products: Such as Picasa
and Google Reader
• Simple and effective group communications: “Hangouts” and
“Huddles”
• Tech oriented user group
• Growing and changing to include more services based on customer
demand

5. PROFILES
• Profiles share information about you with other users:
Who you are
What you do
Where you live
Your Interests
Contact Information
• Privacy settings determine what parts of your profile are visible to
others
• You can manage your profile privacy according to your circles

6. CIRCLES
• Groups of people organized by labels
Family
Friends
Aquintances
Co-Workers
Best Friends
“The Guys”
Etc.
• Circles allow you to easily share information with specific groups, while
excluding others
• People can be organized into more than one user group

7. STREAM SHARING
• Use your stream to post content or “+1” links online
Status updates: “Our flight to Florida is delayed, Boo!”
Links: “These politicians are at it again, http://crazypoliticalstory.com”
Photos: Tagg-able and Cleverly backed up with Picasa
Documents: Group editing just got easier. Now viewable with Hangouts!
• Stream posts are easily shared with specific groups, while leaving
others out

8. SEARCHES AND SPARKS
• Search Engine helps you search Google+ for people, pages and
information within Google +
• Sparks: Formerly a way to provide you with content based on your
interests, now sparks is imbedded in the search. Sparks doesn’t just
search Google+, it also searches the web.
• Search results can be organized
+1’d by circles
“Best of”
Most recent
Etc.

9. HANGOUTS
• Hangouts are group video chats
• This feature is unique to Google+ in the social networking world and is
touted as the projects best feature
• Streamlined “user friendly” interface for real-time meetings
• New document viewing feature allows for a group chat to take place
simultaneously with document editing

10. PHOTOS
• Google+ features a photo album product through Picasa
• Cloud based photo storage creates a back-up of your important images
• Easy tagging and sharing with circles
• Privacy settings offer content control
• Settings also control who can tag you in images posted by others

11. GAMES
• Games you can play alone or share with your circles
• Game s are searchable and can be added to your home page
• Games often access your personal information so be sure to read
disclaimers

12. MOBILE
Downloadable web app for mobiles devices makes Google + accessible
from anywhere.
Available at http://www.google.com/mobile/+/

13. GOOGLE + PAGES
• Google + pages for institutions, instead of people
• You can “follow” and/or “+1” Google + Pages to add their content to
your stream
Take a look at Skokie Public Library’s Google + Page
https://plus.google.com/u/0/?tab=wX#106964545738751452212/posts

14. PRIVACY: BEFORE YOU MAKE YOUR PROFILE
• If you are concerned about privacy, be sure to customize your settings
before you fill out your profile
• Privacy settings can be found under the gear icon on the top right
corner
• These settings allow you to set defaults for how your information is
shared
• Every time you add new content you can alter your defaults to fit
specific circles