Google Hangouts is a video chat feature of Google+ that allows up to 10 participants. Notable uses include interviews, live broadcasts, meetings, and virtual concerts. Journalists have used Hangouts for interviews, breaking news coverage, tutorials, and press conferences. Brand managers can use it for meetings, tutorials, customer service, and behind-the-scenes content. Users are encouraged to host their own Hangouts on topics of interest as a way to build their network and resume.

1. GOOGLE HANGOUTS
Emily Connor and Kelly Erickson

2. Join us on Twitter!
•#Hangout676
• Please tweet any interesting comments or
questions.

3. Background Overview
• Google+ launched June 28, 2011.
• Cost $585 million, 500 employees to build
• 68% users male, 32% female
• 60% of users log in daily
• 80% of uses engage on a weekly basis

5. Background: Google Hangouts
• Feature of Google+ when it launched
• considered innovative at the time
• Can have 10 participants
• Hangout On Air: launched May 7, 2012
• live, public broadcast
• Can record hangout, edit video later
• Hangout uses: Everything from staff meetings to cooking
shows to live concerts.

6. Notable Hangouts
• Notable journalists, authors, celebrities have been using
Google hangouts.
• Hoodie Allen
• Employee at Google while beginning rap career.
• Hosts “Hoodie Hang” every Wednesday.
• Talks about upcoming music, hosts trivia, brings fans “on-air” who
tweet correct answers.
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPcEYgrbXec

7. Other “Hangers”
• President Obama - The White House +1,576,449
• First hangout in January 2012
• Hosted two hangouts with President Obama
• Users can submit questions, watch live discussion to happen in the
White House.
• Follow #WHHangout
• Idea of bringing “State of the Union” type address to the people on
a personal level.

8. Other “Hangers”
• Conan O’ Brian, Team Coco +2,850,610
• Show clips
• Interviews
• Behind the scenes
• Fan videos
• Skits

9. Competitors
• Skype
• 31 million users, average convo = 27 minutes
• Facetime
• Exclusive to Apple products
• SpreeCast
• Social video platform, up to four people
• Ustream
• Over 2 million registered users, 1.5 million+ hours of live
content/month

10. Competitor Comparison
• Spree Cast and Ustream closest platforms to Google
Hangouts, but more public
• Hangouts require a Google+ account. Facetime requires
Apple products. Other platforms don’t.
• Spree Cast allows for embedding videos on other
platforms

11. Google Hangout Schedules
• Schedule of hangouts and live discussions
• Variety of topics – Politics to Lifestyle to Celebs
• Today at 5pm Tim Simmons from VEEP
• April 15th, 12pm World Art Day – MET
• April 16th, 12pm Citibank VP of Social Media Lara Ruth
• http://www.google.com/+/learnmore/hangouts/schedule.ht
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12. New Developments
• Google Capture
• Allows users to take photos of hangout
• Automatically save into a folder
• Can be viewed during a hangout
• All attendees will be notified app is in use when joining hangout,
when photo is to be taken, and can see it.
• Will be available in the coming months.

13. Interview with @webjournlist
Robert Hernandez (@webjournalist) discussed a few ways
he has used Google Hangouts, its usefulness for journalists
and competing products.
Let’s Watch:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1o-
wd6BSG0&feature=g-user-u

14. How Can Journalists Use Hangouts
• Interviews
• Breaking News
• How-to’s
• Behind the scenes
• Press conferences
• Training
• Focus Groups
• On Air

15. “For the first time in history thanks to Hangouts,
newscasters can SEE their audience and even talk with
them during a soundbite in a live newscast. When you’re
spending an entire hour a day or more with a viewer
during a live newscast, that’s a deeper level of
engagement than you get with any non face to face tweet
or Facebook interaction. When I read a story about a child
who’s been murdered, I hear the Hangout sigh in my ear.”
- Sarah Hill, interactive anchor at KOMU-TV

16. How Can Brand Managers Use Hangouts
• Hangouts can be useful to brand managers
• Virtual Meetings
• Product Tutorial or Q&A
• Show Behind the Scenes
• Improve Customer Service
• Ex: Michael Dell, CEO of Dell, planning to implement customer
service hangouts for Dell at request of Dell users.
Source: http://carminemedia.com/2012/12/18/why-google-hangouts-on-air-should-be-part-of-your-2013-
marketing-strategy/

17. How Can YOU Use Hangouts
• Interviews with sources
• Meetings
• Resume building
• Begin hosting hangouts on topics you are interested in
• Networking
• Hangout event schedules
What are some other ways you think you
could use Google Hangouts?