In my last post, I noted Google+ as a rising social media star and promised to elaborate in January on why job seekers and professionals looking to expand their networks should use it. Well, it's January and time to support my Google+ RANT, or as a favorite radio personality would say, "Google it, Agnes!" In preparation for this post and home for the holidays, I asked a variety of people (some at the mall, others at the dog park) and of course my family (go where the people are I say) about Google+. The responses I received ranged from "What's that?" (my 11 year-old niece) to, "I've heard of it, but haven't used it." (my sister and a few at the dog park) to, "I love Google+!" (several in the mall and again at the dog park).
So what is Google+? Launched in 2011 as Google Circles, Google's foray into social media, Google+ is considered a "social layer" that enhances many of Google's other online properties including: Google web search, Gmail, YouTube, Google Maps, Google for mobile and Blogger to name a few. Currently the second largest social media platform with 343 million users per month, Google+ also serves as an authorship tool that associates web content, like this blog, directly with its authors, like me. Below are a few key highlights and features.
GOOGLE+ HIGHLIGHTS AND FEATURES - Courtesy of Google
- 343 million monthly social media users
- 540 million monthly users on the identity service side
- Features: Hangouts, Communities, and Google News
- Mobile app used by 30 percent of smartphones users between April and June 2013, making it the 4th most used app
- Enhanced apps and mobile sites are used on 92 percent of U.S. smartphones
- 1.5 billion photos uploaded each week
CONGRATS! IT'S A... LINKEDBOOK?
Though I've only used Google+ for the past few months and started because of this blog, I found it easy to get started - straightforward and intuitive. I specifically love that personal AND professional networks can be organized into different circles (how connections are categorized) creating, as one social media expert and Google+ reviewer says, "a one size fits all social media network." When content is shared, the user has control over who is allowed to view it. Specifically, circle streams (or feeds) allow the user to determine content audiences. For those in a friends circle, holiday pictures and cute kid anecdotes might be shared, while colleagues in a professional circle could receive business articles, as well as industry specific stats and trends.
GOOGLE+ TIPS FOR JOB SEEKERS
- Completely fill out profile and include a photo
- Make sure profile is congruent with a current resume
- Add links from other professional social media platforms - Linkedin, Twitter, industry specific blogs, etc.
- Focus on building relationships
- Have a consistent presence
- Share interesting content within professional circles
- Customize a URL
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| Courtesy of John Dietrich, GPlusGeek Founder |
For those overly dramatic, or should I say "theatrical," who just cannot bare (hand to forehead, eyes closed, mouth gaping) adding another platform to their social repertoire, I'm saying, it must be done. At this point timing is unclear, but many social media experts are confident that Google+ eventually will outdistance Facebook in usage. How could this be? There are a myriad of reasons to support such a bold statement, and I find the most compelling Google+'s ability to position itself through Google's powerful product and services portfolio outlined above. According to John Dietrich, Founder of GPlusGeek, "Google Plus will overtake Facebook. It's only a matter of time."
Not to fret! Creating a Google+ profile is a painless process. If help is needed, there are countless, simple step by step online tutorials. Also, make sure to use a current resume as the starting point. Don't have an updated resume? Start reading or rereading my RANTS and go from there.
How to Create Free Professional Resume & Cover Letter Online
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