Use Google+

Google began rolling out Google Plus, Google's own social networking site, on June 28, 2011. Although Google+ has many aspects similar to Facebook, there are also a number of novel features. Here are a few tips to help you start networking with Google+.

Steps

Sign Up

  1. Go to the Google Plus homepage. If you already have a Google account (one you use for Gmail, Google Drive, YouTube, and/or other Google products), click on the "sign in" button. Otherwise, click on the link to create an account.
  2. After you create a Google account, enter your name and select a profile picture to get started with Google Plus. You will be immediately taken to your Google Plus account.
  3. You can access your Google Plus account at any time by going to the Google Plus homepage. You will be prompted to log in using your Google account if you aren’t already.

Navigating the Google Plus interface

  1. Google Plus consists of 4 main pages including “Home”, “Profile”, “Photos”, and “Circles”. These pages are accessible via the small icons beside the “Google Plus” icon at the top of any page.
  2. Click the “Home” icon to access your Stream, Chat, and Hangouts. Content posted by those you’ve added to your circles will be added to your “Stream” in the Center of the Google + “Home” page.
    • You can filter what content you are currently viewing in your “Stream” by selecting a Circle from the list of currently created circles to the left of your Stream.
    • You can access Google chat just below the list of currently created Circles to the left of your Stream.
  3. Use keyboard shortcuts to save time navigating your stream.
    • Press space to scroll down.
    • Press shift and space to scroll up.
    • Press J to scroll down to the next post.
    • Press K to scroll up to the previous post.
    • Press Q to directly access chat.
    • Press enter or return to start commenting on a post.
    • Press tab and return to end your comment.
  4. Easily use HTML in your posts.
    • Adding asterisks around word(s) will automatically bold them.
    • Adding underscores around word(s) will automatically underline them.
    • Adding hyphens around word(s) will automatically cross them out.
  5. Mention people in your posts by adding @ or + in front of their names. Autofill will pop up with suggestions to help you complete the tag.
    • You cannot tag circles in your posts.
    • Make sure to properly capitalize your friends' names, or Google Plus autofill may not detect them.
  6. Click the “Photos” icon from the top of any page to view photos posted by people in your Circles and upload new photos to share on Google +.
  7. Click the “Profile” icon from the top of any page to access and edit your Google Profile including your profile picture, personal and employment info, and other basic settings and preferences.
  8. Click the “Circles” icon to create, view, and edit Circles. From this page you can also view and manage people who’ve added you, and find and invite new friends to Google Plus.

Creating Circles

  1. Create a circle. In certain ways similar to a Friend Group on Facebook, a Circle is a group of friends that you can share photos and updates with. For example, you can make a Circle for your friends, your family, and your co-workers in order to control who will see what content you post.

Creating and using Hangouts

  1. How to Use Google Plus Hangouts. Once you've created a circle of friends, you can choose to hang out with them on Google Plus using the "Hangouts" feature. This allows you to video chat, IM chat, watch YouTube videos together, and more.

Use Explore on Google Plus

  1. Click on the Explore button in the left sidebar. Explore shows you the most popular content that's currently trending on Google Plus. You can save searches for particular topics of interest and easily share the content you find with your circles.

Tips

  • Link when mentioning a specific person by writing @ or + and then their name, like "@Bill Gates" or "+Bill Gates"
  • View the stream from people who have added you to circles, but you haven't added back by clicking on "Incoming" in the Stream.
  • Format text as follows:
    • Bold - *whatever you want to bold here*
    • Italics - _whatever you want in italics here_
    • Strikethrough - -whatever you want to strikethrough here-
  • Similar to the Gmail shortcut for sending a message, you can press Tab and then Enter to submit a comment, instead of using the mouse to hit "Post Comment".
  • Scroll up and down through posts or notifications by pressing the keys J and K.
  • You can get a shortened Google+ URL by going to http://gplus.to. It'll be gplus.to/username and will redirect to your Google+ profile.
  • Scroll through a photo library with the scroll wheel on your mouse or by pressing J and K.
  • You can access Google Plus on your mobile phone by navigating to http://m.google.com/plus or downloading the native for Android or iPhone. Go to the Google+ mobile page to learn more.



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  • Use Explore on Google Plus
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