Thinking of Joining Google Plus? Check These Tips First!

So you’ve heard about this Google+ thing around the internets. Your friends have started using it and you’ve received an email from at least one of them inviting you to join. You’re thinking about it, but what is this Google+ anyway? Is it like Facebook, Google Talk, or the failed Google Buzz? Yes, to all three.

Here’s Google’s overview of their new Google+ Project:

Google+ has a lot of potential. People have started flocking to it because it’s the newest, shiniest, social networking site on the block; but there’s some great features Google+ has to offer that may keep you sticking around after the newness wears off.

Google+’s “Circles” being the biggest of these reasons. The circles are ways for you to corral your various social contacts into easy to organize groups. Once you have your groups in place, Friends, Family, Coworkers, etc. you can begin to share and view information based on these groups. Google+ has the same straightforward post options that Facebook has (share link, upload photo, etc.) but you can then decide which circles are allowed to see this content.

• Pictures of the family that you only want your family to see? Family Circle – done!
• Pictures of your crazy birthday party that you don’t want your coworkers to see? All Circles BUT Coworkers – done!
• Plans for you next “Order of the Talon” secret society meeting? Inner Sanctum Circle – done!

There are tons of other very cool features Google+ has to offer as well, but I won’t go into them all here – you can find out for yourself.

So it sounds pretty cool, right? You’re not quite ready though because you’ve amassed so many albums, wall, and profile pics along with all your friends and contacts on Facebook. Well How-To Geek has got you covered with a great tutorial to walk you through downloading a single zip with all your FB data and sending it over to Google+!

How to Migrate from Facebook to Google+ by How-To Geek

Once you’re on Google+ be sure to check out PCWorld’s 10 Google+ Tips for Beginners.

Now you’ve copied your Facebook data over to Google+, created circles, connected with other Google+ contacts; but what about your other friends that haven’t made the jump yet? Do you really have to switch over to Facebook or Twitter every time you want to see their updates? Or if you have a really great link to share, do you really have to post it multiple times on your various accounts? No! While there is no official Google+ method of to integrate other social media feeds (this is most likely in the works but Google+ is still in its infancy and the API has not been made available) the Chrome browser extension Start G+ will automatically post to Facebook and Twitter when you share something on Google+. Start G+ also adds your Facebook and Twitter feeds to Google+ so you can see posts from all three social media networks in one place. This extension is only available for the Chrome browser and is available for free in the Chrome Web Store here: Start G+

click to view/add me on Google+

July 28, 2011 | Categories: Misc, Tech | Tags: Facebook, Google Plus, Google+, Social Media, Tech, Tips, Twitter | Leave A Comment »