Getting Started with Google+

Google+ is joining Facebook and Twitter as one of the most popular social networks on the internet. Even though it is one of the newer platforms, I find that it is fairly user friendly, even for social media newbies.

Many of our SPS teammies have Google+ pages, but they aren't quite sure how to use them, so I'd like to share some very basic information for Google+ beginners.

Your Profile and Settings

Before you start posting, I highly recommend you take a moment to visit the "Home" button on the top left of your Google+ page.

When you hover over the "Home" a drop-down menu appears.

The two tabs you should explore carefully before posting anything are the "Profile" and "Settings tabs. Here you will get to decide personal information you would like to display on your page. Use a little common sense and be careful about what you are telling the entire world.

Once you have completed your profile and settings, you'll want to share your very first post. Posting on Google+ is very similar to posting on Facebook.

Creating a Google+ Post

On your Google+ page you will see a box that looks like this.

Here you can share text, a picture, a link (maybe to an item in your Etsy shop) and more. Click where it says "Share what's new..." and the window enlarges.

If you are sharing a photo or link, it's always good to tell your followers a little bit about it.

Next, decide what type of attachment you will be sharing.

I like to share links to our team blog!

Here's the link to a post I wrote about our SPS Team Community on Google+, http://strategicpromotionforsuccess.blogspot.com/2015/02/sps-team-google-community.html. This is the URL I am sharing.

You can choose to make your post public. If you do this, it will appear in all of your follower's streams. (A stream on Google+ is the sane as your feed on Facebook.)

Or you can share your post privately with a specific person or a circle of friends.

Getting Fancy with Your Posts

Sometimes it's helpful to mention other people in your posts. For example, if you were sharing a link to an item in someone else's Etsy shop, it would be nice to give them credit. 

And, let's not forget to use #hashtags.

If you are still new to the idea of using #hashtags, Google+ has a very helpful feature that the Facebook and Twitter don't. At the very bottom of your "Settings" you can check the option fror Google to automatically add hashtags to your post.

Putting the "Social" into Social Media

Everyone likes to get noticed on social media. Here's a post I recently shared in the SPS Team's Google+ Community 

There are three ways you can tell someone you like their post.

• +1 it: clicking on the +1 button is similar to "liking" on Facebook
• Share it: Click on the arrow button to share a post on your Google+ page
• Add a comment... Interact with others by leaving a comment on someone's post. (More common sense - your comments are public, so it's best to keep things friendly.)

Once you are feeling comfortable on Google+, I hope you'll join the SPS Team's Community. It's a great place to find other team members, add them to your Google+ circles, share your shop items and more.

PRESENTED TO YOU BY OUR LEADER :

My name is Ellen and I LOVE to design and create things. I find it deeply satisfying to start with nothing more than an idea and finish with a tangible, beautiful, functional piece of work. I enjoy learning new techniques that I can incorporate into my creations. I practice a variety of different art forms, but find I always have at least one knit, crochet or sewing project in progress.

thechillydog on Etsy

For free craft pattern's, tutorials and inspiration visit my blog, The Chilly Dog.