Why Google+?

The simplest way I can describe the difference between Facebook and Google Plus is that while Facebook helps you to keep in touch with the people you already know, Google+ helps you to get in touch with the people you want to know.

Don’t be shy or afraid to circle as many people as possible, you can always uncircle later if they’re not up to your expectations. Sharing your interests and passions are another great point for Google+: It’s easy to find like minded folks with the aid of the G+ search using keywords or hashtags.

Read more:

New here?

Google+ is different from other platforms and needs a bit more work than, lets say Pinterest. But once you've understood what the idea behind Circles is, the rewards are great. Don't wait for your friends and family to join you but venture outside your comfort zone and you might be surprised!

I started using Google+ in June 2011 with no-one I knew, first of my nationality, non-geek and middle-aged. I'm burdened with a double vowel and an umlaut in my name but still I've enjoyed G+ hugely from the beginning. Even now only a handful of people I know IRL are here. But I really don't care as I have a Circleverse full of great new acquaintances and in many cases, new friends, too.

It's just a question of finding your niche. And making an effort.
My 5 C:s are: Circle, curate, create, communicate & consume!

Be persistent! :-)
Use the search for your pet topics, music or sports, look at the people's profiles who comment on those posts and circle, circle, circle...
Then comment, post, share and circle again. Repeat and keep on repeating.

Feed the Google+ fires with the flame of your passions!

Here's a good start, add these pages to your Google+ circle:

 +Google+ +Google+ Help  and +Google+ Your Business 

Image courtesy of +Claude Rieth and text by +Jaana Nyström 

From Facebook Village to Google+ Galaxy

I’ve heard and read so many for and against opinions as to the Google+ vs Facebook dominance game and who’s killing who, that I wanted to take a look at the whole state of affairs from another perspective.

Where everybody knows your name...

Mystery writer Agatha Christie’s heroine Miss Jane Marple lives in a small village called St Mary Mead. The people of the village know each other well; gossip and sometimes also scandal seem to be part of their everyday lives. The village is a safe place to be, you know what the topics you can safely discuss are, interacting with familiar people on a day-to-day basis. Birthdays, marriages, children, weather and diet are widely discussed.
Sometimes life can be a bit boring, too. Like in a stagnant pond, even fairly insignificant activity may get a lot of attention. Travelling to London every now and then helps brighten up the life and give it the much-wanted flavor that the village life is incapable of providing!

How many roads must a man walk down? 42.

Ford Prefect is a character in the bestselling science fiction comedy series created by Douglas Adams: ‘Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy’, a five book series in the “increasingly inaccurately named Hitchhikers Trilogy”. He is exploring strange and wonderful new places and meeting interesting strangers around the Galaxy in his quest to do research for the electronic guidebook. He’s accompanied by the main character Arthur Dent who is unwillingly launched from one crisis to another while trying to find the place where he belongs and at the same time rediscover himself, too.
At some point Arthur Dent's spaceship crashes on the planet Lamuella, where he settles in happily as the official sandwich-maker for a small village of simple, peaceful people, ready to stay there for the rest of his life.

Based on this, could we liken Google+ to the Galaxy / London and Facebook to planet Lamuella / St Mary Mead village?

Like in literature, there's room for all kinds of tastes: We can enjoy many different types of books and also social media platforms.

(Image courtesy of the Guardian)  Text by Jaana

Who has authorized access to your Google?
Connected Sites, Apps, and Services

Who gets to use your data?

See here:
https://accounts.google.com/b/0/IssuedAuthSubTokens?hl=en

#Plushelp  

RESHARE:
This is a very nice and instructional post from +Katherine Bond 

Well worth a read for all of us!

Very much to the point and good opinions.

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What I Continue to Learn about G+...
Some more of my thoughts on this whole experience.

G+ isn't just a place to while away a little time.

This is a real community of people who are interested in ideas and in each other. They like sharing their passions with other people.
If you approach G+ as if it's a place where you drop in, make cryptic or mean spirited comments, and then fade away, you'll never get to experience this community -- which would be a shame.

G+ is a global community.
  
This is really exciting. I have met and become friends with people from all over the world. We are letting each other know what is happening in our corner of the world -- without the interference of the media or politicians.  I believe that in G+, we have a unique opportunity for a global conversation which might make a difference beyond our wildest dreams, but because it is a global community, we must learn to tread softly and try not to hurt each other’s feelings.  The more trust you build, the less this is a problem.

If you don't let other people know who you are, don't be surprised if they don't come to visit you.

It's hard to relate to a cypher.  Oh, and by the way, post your photo. You can't be that bad looking, and it's hard to relate to a picture of an inanimate object or even worse, what I think of as “the gray man.”

Absolutely be yourself

...but ask yourself if this post is something you would share if you were in a
RL social setting with other people – people whose opinions you care about.

I still think it's OK to "try on" new people to see if you'd enjoy their company

and it's still OK if you "unfollow" someone if you find you have too little in common or that the content of their posts is offensive to you.

Comments are very important.

Going to other people's posts and having a chat with them is the way to get to know each other.  Eventually, you'll have memories of discussions you've had which will form a relationship.  I am horrible with names, but even I remember the names of people with whom I've had memorable discussions.

If you don't know where to start, have fun with,,,

#starwarstuesday   or #caturday   (Saturday) or #hamstermonday   (my invention which, it appears, only entertains me) or #punday   or #signsunday   (Sunday).  It's a nice way to get your feet wet and share some laughs with people. Everyone likes to laugh...well at least I do!

One thing that I have just started to remember to do is to add tags to my posts, i.e.,     #starwarstuesday  

That way people who want to find good Star War's stuff can find you in a search.

Resharing is a good thing...

but try to come up with some original content from time to time.

Have you taken a nice photo while you were on vacation?
Try posting a photo of what you had for lunch.  I love foodie photos.
Do you have some idea that you'd like to discuss with people?
If someone else’s post gets you fired up, that might be a good place to start.

For the people who are following me:

I want you to know that I really appreciate it, but why haven't I heard from a 
lot of you?  I haven't even seen a +1 -- and I have been looking!  I don't follow people back unless we have engaged in some way.  I want to circle you!  Speak up! Say something...anything.  Well, maybe not anything...

You can hurt my feelings.

Just because this is a relationship that involves typing your thoughts back and forth doesn't mean that you can't hurt other people’s feelings. I’ve done it. When I realize that I’ve been too much of a smart aleck – especially when the context isn’t clear -- I know it’s time to go back and apologize.

Google Events and Hangouts

I'm still not sure about Google Events -- too early to tell -- but having had some really good Hangouts, I am a convert.  I'm still not always in the mood and will not hangout in my pjs, but I am enjoying them more than I thought I would at first.  

I am especially intrigued by the recorded hangouts that are interviews or have some kind of educational value – like how to cook a special dish.  If you haven't watched one of them, give it a try. There is bound to be something of interest to you.

For those of you who would like to know how to break into the media, this just may be a good proving ground.

Investing some time

Just like any form of communication, the more time you put into G+, the more you will get out of it, but only you know how much time you have to spare.

There are people who are icons in the G+ community who spend a relatively small amount of time posting each day, but post they do, and more importantly, they answer you when you comment on their post and are there for you if you have a question.

Check out those Google Chrome Extensions

I've added some extensions recently that have been real lifesavers and made me wonder why I hadn't checked them out before.

A good place to start is +Jens Graikowski 's recent post:
posthttps://plus.google.com/u/0/115717892107037523817/posts/i6MYLPVVibt

Well, whether you wanted it or not, you now have my up-to-date G+ experience.  Happy G+ing and thank you to everyone who continues to give me a helping hand, an intriguing discussion, and a smile along the way.

Oh...one last thing.  People appreciate being appreciated, so thank you +Susanne Ramharter +Jaana Nyström +George Cohn +Jens Graikowski +martin shervington +Akpo Siekpe +Bud Hoffman +Muna Bushra +Ronnie Bincer  +Mike Fenimore  and so many, many more...


#gplustips   #myexperience   #newbieshelp  

Tip for Circle management:

EDIT:
The better tool for circle management is +Circloscope and I do recommend the paid version:
http://www.circloscope.com/2013/04/google-plus-circle-management-tool.html

If you're getting close to the 5000 limit of circled people, you could do with a cleanup. These two Chrome extensions are not updated any more.

(Uncircle Inactives)
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/dhcfgcecigkknnimiljlbcjmnbeeodhl

(Uncircle Uncirclers)
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/fnckobddbbbgfabnhogmncmghngohflh

You can choose just one or two circles or go through all of them.
The circles you use for following purposes only, don't use the 'Uncirclers' one there as perhaps the top brass of Google has not circled you back but you still want to see what they post about.

Enjoy your Google+ experience! :-)

#circles   #Plushelp  

Ask about Google+ use, etiquette and practices

Is there something which you don't understand, some topic in Google+ you'd like to hear more about?

We don't do computer / phone troubleshooting, sorry.  

Leave your question in the comments below and we'll try to find the answer to your question!

#Plushelp  

How to format text on Google+ posts and comments

Save this!   #Plushelp  

Sharing from outside websites with +1 or the new share button:

The difference between the old +1 button and the new Share button:
+1 is always public. Share can be to circles or a person only.

It seems not all of the people have known that you can share a webpage or a blog post directly to Google+ from the +1 button.

Wherever you find a +1 button and you click it, then wait for a while: It should open up a tab where you can add some text and share it to your circles or public. By clicking at the image displayed you should also be able to change the pic shown on your post.

There are extensions for that too, this for Chrome: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/jgoepmocgafhnchmokaimcmlojpnlkhp
With this you can +1 and share any outside website.

If you didn't know it, all your +1:s end up in your Google+ profile, too.
Here are mine as I've made them public (see your settings on that page - EDIT button):
https://plus.google.com/107742059751171695340/plusones
I use this as a bookmarking tool. It also tells a lot of things about my interests...

Here's a tip for when you want to share from any of those buttons or the extension:

There's a small inconvenience in the share box. It does not want to accept the 'copypaste' directly, so just type any letter and a space in the beginning and then 'paste' the text you have previously, before clicking on the +1 or share button copied as if you click on the +1 you then cannot go back and copy any part of the text without the share box disappearing. Then remember to remove the letter and the space from the beginning of the post.

So at first copy a part of the text, click the button, add the text to the share box, add your own insights, use the * and _ at the end and beginning of those words or sentences you'd like to show better to underline your message, then choose the circles or +mention the persons you want to share the story with (or go public). And only then click share.

*NEW:* 
There's a very nice Chrome extension by +Tzafrir Rehan called DoShare: You can schedule your Google+ posts and also share a nice comment you've received. Excellent feature! 
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/oglhhmnmdocfhmhlekfdecokagmbchnf

For scheduled sharing from Google+ to other SoMe channels I use Bufferapp:
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/noojglkidnpfjbincgijbaiedldjfbhh

Cheers, +Jaana Nyström    #Plushelp  

What is your neighbour posting about?

Fun tool!
See What's Hot or popular posts in other countries and languages!

Open the link, just mouse over the map and click away:

http://hot.sns-g.com/

#Plushelp  

Who are you?

Please finish your profile, make it a first priority.

When you add me to your Circles I always try to check who you are, to see if you're worth circling back.  Without public posts and a good 'Information' text on your profile it's very difficult to determine what your likes are...

The same if I find you commenting on someone else's post: Make your profile image striking for attracting the attention, if that's what you'd like, that is.

Posts, profile, photo... If there is nothing showing, I'll not even think of circling you back, sorry.

The first thing for you to do is to add something to your 'present employer' as it shows on your popup profile pic or hovercard.

Use your imagination, just a company name does not necessarily tell much. Unless it's Google. :-)

+Jaana Nyström  has time zone there and 'Google+ enthusiast'... Tells something about her already, right?

The second thing: Your photo (avatar) should be a good quality one, many (even professional) people have blurry pics. Does not sell well...
Show us your face! :-)

More from Google:
http://www.google.com/+/learnmore/profile/

Here's a site for you, if you need help with the images:

http://www.gplusavatarmaker.com/
and
http://www.gplusavatarmaker.com/GPlusBannerMaker.html

#Plushelp  

All our posts in Timeline format!

For easy browsing: You can choose from old to new or other way round. You can also see the most popular first.

You can save this to bookmarks and look at the advice anytime you like. Easy to share outside Google+, too.

If you change your own Google+ ID (The long number series in the URL of your profile) you can have your own posts in similar Timeline.

The posts are updated automatically when you publish new ones.

Take a look:
All credit for this amazing website goes to +Jari Huomo 

RESHARE:
Are you living in Europe or would you like to get a breath of the Old Continent in your stream?

Nice circle for newcomers!

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Updated:

European Google+ Helpers circle!

People who know about Google+ in it's different aspects and are ready to share their knowledge, often in many languages.

Enjoy a lively and informative stream around many different topics!

Here is the CircleCount.com list of all the people in the circle: 
http://www.circlecount.com/sharedcircle/?id=z124tdr4wyn2gfmba04cd1ea5yric3njxj0

#Plushelp  

#Jaanatip   #Googleplustips   #circles  

Advice from Google+ community!

This page is unofficial and a place where voluntary fellow Plussers help each other in matters concerning the use of Google+.

Many of the users know more about the technical side of computers than we do, so we concentrate on other matters. 
 
We give advice about the better use of Google+, not about troubleshooting your computer / phone or fixing the possible bugs in Google+.

Feedback to Google

Give Feedback about problems: That you can find on your own G+: The button is located under the cogwheel next to the 'Start a Hangout' -button in the top right hand corner: That's the place to report bugs and problems.  When you have the problem, this reporting system takes a screenshot of it.

Otherwise: If you know a lot about Google+ and you'd like to be part of the helpers team, please contact +Jaana Nyström 

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More circles...

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Here they are:

Rest of the world G+ helpers' circle

Here we have some of the creme de la creme of Google+:
No matter where you are from, this is a circle to add for information and helpful advice.

This circle is still small: Can you suggest more people from  your country who know about Google+?

Europe and North America people are in another circle.

#circles   #circleshare   #plushelp  

RESHARE:
Still unsure what to do here? :-)
Helpful info and tips for your Google+!

Thank you Google+ Helper +Shamil Weerakoon for this post!

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Tutorial for Your New Google+ Stream
The following guidelines and tips are based on the image attached.

01. Both the Google Logo and the Home button directs you to your Main Stream.
02. Go to your Profile.
03. Circles - Manage them into Circles of your wish.
04. Photos
--> Hover over the button to Add New Photos, To see the Photos from Your Phone OR View All your Photo Albums.
05. Pages button.
--> Hover over the Pages to button to switch between the Brand Pages you Admin or Manage.
06. More Extension, when extended shows the rest of the buttons
In may case; Explore, Hangouts, Games.
>> Explore : Shows what's new on Google+ and the What's Hot posts.
>> Hangouts : Displays LIVE hangouts to Join, and Hangouts on Air to Watch.
>> Games : Directs you to Your Game World! Shows Game Notifications, List of All Games, and what people in your Circles Played.
<<-->> Please Note that the Above mentioned Buttons can be rearranged in the Order You Prefer.
07. Share Box : Share what you feel, what you are interested in.
- > Feel free to Attach images, videos or links.
- > Format your posts with Bold, Italic, OR Strikethrough
08. Displays the Trending Search & Post Topics.
09. Live Hangouts and Start Hangout button.
10. Your Name : Clicking here shows you Your Brand Pages and Other Google Accounts to Switch.
>> Clicking on Your Profile Pic on the Google Bar also gives the same.
11. Hangout & Chat : Your Chat list.
--> Select whom to be visible to from Chat Privacy Settings.
12. Shows the list of Your Circles to View their Streams.
>> Also shows your Saved Searches, and Your Sparks.

Hope you've Learnt the Basics of the New Google Plus Interface.

Good Luck, and Keep providing The Feedback to the Google+ Team.
Thank You.
#ddstips

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More circle shares:  More help!

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This one is updated now:

Helpers circle USA & Canada

Need people who know their Google+ inside and out?
Well, here they are.  

New to Google+? Listen to these folks and you'll find out lots of things.
They all post about different topics and are willing to help the newbies.

Enjoy your Google+ experience!

Found an interesting post but don't have time to read it now?

Saving posts for later

Create an empty circle called 'Later' or 'Bookmarks' or 'Favourites' and just share posts with that circle.

You'll always find the saved posts there.  And when you want to take a look at that circle again, just go to your Home page and choose to see the stream of that circle from the menu on top.

You might want to move the 'Later' circle to be the first of your circles:

Go to your circles page and create this by clicking on an empty circle and give it a name. Don't add anyone there and Save.

Now the circle will be the last on your circles page. Grab the circle with your mouse and slide it to be the first. This way it's easy to share posts with that circle. 

After you've read the saved posts, you can delete the ones you don't need anymore.

#Plushelp  by +Jaana Nyström    #circles  

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Are you in need of Extensions? :-)
No, not the hair kind.
Take a look at these pages: Useful stuff.

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[Shared Circle]
Google+ Extension Pages

These are all the pages of G+-related extensions I am aware of. Since I shared this circle for the first time, three new pages were added (+My Hangouts, +Hangout Canopy and +G+ Game Companion).

If you know of any page I might have missed, please let me know.

Tags: #chromeextensionsforgplus #chromeextension #googleplusextension #sharedcircles  

A very useful tool

If you haven't added yourself to http://www.circlecount.com/, we recommend you do so!

Statistics about your profile or page, interesting shared circles, your favourite posts can be saved here, lists of users by country or continent...  Many nice features!

Make sure you have your location set correctly on your profile page so that it will show up in your country lists.

This is how you add a business page to your CircleCount profile:
http://www.circlecount.com/mypages/

My dear +CircleCount!

I want to get statistics about my page at +Google+ Help (Unofficial) with this key:
!!6ygdsxgxhnyyh96v6ywe!! #CircleCountAuthPage


Thank you!

Different uses of Google+

There are so many individual uses to this Circleverse of ours:
Someone may be looking at the platform through professionalism and marketing, others are just having a bit of fun and being social.

No-one is telling you how to use it:
However, when well-meaning people give advice on different aspects on how you could use Google+, please respect their suggestions. That's what they are: Suggestions and examples.

If you don't agree, that's fine. But please refrain from being negative as there are others who might welcome those tips.
Some people perhaps find the advice suited to their situation and needs.

No one is forcing anyone to do anything on G+ against their will, so just move on if the advice is not for you. Newcomers welcome all the help they can get, I'm sure.

No need to even to take part in the discussion if your comment is not constructive, no need to try and prove yourself right.  
There is no right, there are just different uses and opinions.

Let's keep G+ positive!

#Plushelp  

The way to success on Google+?

I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everyone. - Bill Cosby

These words from Bill Cosby have been my guidelines on Google+, I'm not part of any popular kid's clique, just been doing my thing all along. 

If a nobody from a small country can achieve to be in so many circles (thank you, my dear Circleverse!), then anybody can.
It just takes time, effort and perseverance. (And posting in public.) 

Find your niche, post about the things you love and be yourself, that's my advice.

Quick tip from +Jaana Nyström 

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+Mentioning Etiquette

Great post about "+ mentioning" someone and why you should think twice before doing it.

If you want to +mention someone without them getting the notification: Publish a post, edit it and add the +mention. Then that person will not be notified.
Sometimes it's nice to recommend persons for your circles!

A long, but very informative post from +Christian Schlobach, please read! :-)

#Plushelp  

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Don't mention (+)Denis Labelle
Why you should think about who you +mention at any given time

Yesterday I wrote a comment on a post. And in it I +mentioned Denis Labelle. He just served as an example for all those people who post helpful advice and build up a large following because of this. However, it wasn't exactly necessary for him to see my comment. Chances are he probably wasn't that interested. Yet he showed up shortly after and +1d my comment. He is one of very few people who will always check it out when they are mentioned. And he always gives a +1. You have to take into consideration that he has 60.000+ followers. And he is well-known on G+. I guess he might receive a 4-digit number of +mentions every day. That's a lot to check! Still he does so every day, because he is a kind person. I wonder if he is ever annoyed by this ...

Now, when I mention people here on G+ who do have a G+ profile, I usually and almost without thinking +mention them. I'm not the only one though. Lot's of people do it. There are many reasons why you would want to +mention somebody. But it boils down to two groups of reasons. One is that you want to make a person aware of a post. The other is that you want to provide a quick link to a person's profile. The typical name-dropping you find in so many posts often can fall into both categories. And last night I thought about both again.

You might have heard this before: Think about why you want to +mention somebody! If the reason behind the +mention is neither summoning the person to a particular post nor giving people easy access to a relevant G+ profile, you probably should leave away the + in the mention. And if you want  to make the person aware of something, you have to ask yourself: Will the person really be interested? Is the person relevant to the discussion? Or do you just hope to draw a G+ celebrity to your post? :) Last but not least, if you use the +mention just as a neat link to a profile page, please always be aware that the person will also be notified. The +mentioned person will probably take the effort to check your post even if that was not your intention. I really think it is useful to link to people's profiles by means of +mentioning. You have the direct link and that pretty popup that immediately gives you a picture and some infos on a person. But I also wonder if Google couldn't provide +mentions without notification. I hope Google will consider this suggestion :)

Anyway, next time you +mention somebody, just take a second and ask yourself if it's necessary. And don't get me wrong ... many people will always appreciate being mentioned (hello +Johan Horak :) . But then again ... they probably don't have tens of thousands of followers. Today I'm going to give (+)Denis Labelle a break and I will not gratuitously +mention him :)

So what is your take on this? How do you use the +mention feature? And do you mind being +mentioned all the time?

Tags: #mentioning   #mention   #notifications   #googleplustips   #googleplussuggestion  

And a tip of the hat to +Jaana Nyström who apparently thinks I should post more helpful stuff :)

Original image: http://goo.gl/KKlof

RESHARE:
Want to have your friends to come over to the Plus side?
Share this fun video with them! :-)

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Have you seen this? :-)
You don't need an invitation anymore...

Just hop in and tell your friends (on Facebook): Help is available when you need it.

#Plushelp    +Google+ Help (Unofficial) 

Controlling your stream noise on Google+

You have four different positions for the control slider:

Go to your G+ Home page. On top you see 'ALL' and next to it the two of your circles' names, with More of them to the right in a dropdown. 
Click open a circle stream from there. 

On the top right of the white space you see a grey slider with 4 different positions: 'Show nothing', 'Show fewer things', 'Show most things' or 'Show everything from this stream in your All circles stream'.
You can slide it the way you want on each individual circle. 

If there are one or two very 'active' posters, you can place those in a circle of their own and use the slider to mute them totally.
Then you can just check those circle streams when you fancy it.

By moving the Circles around on your 'Circles' page you can define which two are showing on top.

What's Hot posts in your stream
You can mute that stream in the same way: Go to the Explore page on the left and mute the slider.

If you have a 'Bookmarks' circle for sharing posts to yourself, you can mute that also.

Hope this helps!

#Plushelp  

Are you a photographer?

Or do you just enjoy nice pictures?
Enhance your Google+ Photo experience with the Daily Themes Chrome App.


Google+ is full of great photos and this application makes following daily photo themes a lot easier.

Some key features:

*Select your favorite daily themes (26 different daily themes + special themes)
*More themes will be added in near future.
*See photos in full screen.
*Direct links to Google+ so you can quickly post comments and +1's 
*Rate photos and check which photos are highly rated! 

We recommend this app designed by +Jari Huomo, from the European G+ Helpers team!

Have you ever been to a Hangout?

Good advice for participating in a Google+ Hangout!

+Sarah Hill does live Hangouts that are streamed directly to television: Some rules apply here...  :-)

You need to have microphone and also a webcam.
Install the Google Talk plugin:
http://www.google.com/tools/dlpage/res/talkvideo/hangouts/

Here's more information about Hangouts in general:
http://www.google.com/+/learnmore/hangouts/

How often can you post?

The annoying side to sharing is someone posting or sharing too often. I don't mean posting even 20 posts per day when they are well spaced: Firing 5-10 posts one after another is not the best way to attract circlers. Quite the opposite, in fact.
 
For instance,when sharing photos, please don’t inundate the stream by publishing several single pictures in separate posts at one go, but rather publish one album. If people start plussing or commenting single images, that's not your problem anymore...  :-)

Family pics?

If you want just your nearest and dearest to see the latest baby/dog/cat/holiday pics, use your own circles share or even +name to share with just certain persons.
If the images are exotic or interesting, please do share and let us see a part of your life! Blurred phone pics rarely are nice, though.

Share later

You can use a Chrome extension like DoShare to schedule your posts, but remember to keep Chrome open on your computer for the time of the share:
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/oglhhmnmdocfhmhlekfdecokagmbchnf

Let's keep signal to noise ratio balanced! :-)  Use your common sense.

#Plushelp  

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Hello and welcome all new people!

I see some of you haven't still filled in your profile...  :-)
+Denis Labelle  gives easy instructions on how to do it.

#Plushelp #Profile 

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New Google+ User -> Set up your profile for success
Your profile: your smile to the world on Google

Express yourself in words and pictures. Share details with the right people. Be yourself across all of Google.

1. Set up your profile: Google+: Set Up Your Profile

2. Choose a cover photo
3. Add your school, work, and hometown
4. Control your privacy settings: Google+: Customize Your Settings

More: google.com/+/learnmore/profile/

Why not go Public?

If you're planning to share a link from the Interwebz, why not share it in Public?

It's better to show some posts on your profile if you'd like new people to circle you...
Also some folks use the Chrome extensions for removing those people from their circles who don't post in Public.
That's you if you only share stuff within Circles.

Still, there is no must on Google+ and we can all do as we like! :-)

Here are the extensions for cleaning the circles in this post with advice:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/109164280656499025716/109164280656499025716/posts/4BdcwYFP1kA

#Plushelp  

Have a happy #Caturday :

Keep calm and take a nap!

This photo model is Pasha, he's 7 years old.

Re-share: Public or limited?

People have been asking me about the etiquette of re-sharing, here are my thoughts: 

It's basically impossible to re-share in public a post that's been shared to circles only or as a 'Limited' post.
But.

There's always a way: A screenshot of a post, saving a photo on your hard drive and resharing it with copied text from the original post or just taking an added link and sharing it either in G+ or in Twitter, for instance. 

The point is, we should ponder first if there is a reason why a post was shared only for a circle, or could it be publicly reshared if the content is good and not anything secret.
Then it is always nice to check with the originator of the post if they are ok with making the post public: Some people don't want to share anything in public so it could be that a lot of good stuff does not appear for everyone to enjoy.

As some folks share only to their Circles so personally I would check with them is it okay to re-share publicly or if you post the link as your own, would they like to be mentioned in that post. There might be some reason why it was not shared in public. To be on the safe side, share max to ‘Extended Circles’.

I would recommend for someone posting 'delicate' matter, the original poster should mention ‘Not for Public’ or ‘This Circle’s Eyes Only’, then the sharing dilemma would not exist.
And disabling re-shares (Lock this post) from the options menu at the bottom right helps, too. (Before or after clicking the share)


Clicking the ‘share’ under the original post means that the original poster sees the share. Unless it has already been re-shared and you are actually sharing that post. The comments in any shared post will not follow, nor does the originator see your comments. (Using Ripples you can follow the public comments and shares).

It might be best not to share anything online that you might regret later...  
Even to your own friends or circles.

#Plushelp   #Sharing  

Circle here, circle there?

Following someone without expecting them to follow (circle) you back is quite all right.

In many cases it's impossible to follow all that are following you and that's not the meaning, either. In Google+ anyone can follow (circle) anyone without expecting then for these people to circle them back. Maximum limit to your own circles is 5000 people OR pages. I already have on my personal profile way more people who have circled me.

To circle or not to circle: That's the question... :-)

That is our choice; It's because every one of us has different tastes. 
I love to read about science but could not post about it profoundly as I haven't got the knowledge. This way my following someone from CERN is a one way street. And that's quite okay.


Newcomers?

We all mold the G+ for our own needs and wants.
I advice new people to circle more because with only a handful of their FB friends it's going to be very quiet indeed. Better to overcircle than undercircle (I'm coming up with new concepts / words :-) because then later it's easy to drop someone if the tastes don't match.

This is why no one should be offended if someone uncircles them! It's very rarely anything personal.  Perhaps the tastes differ in the content.

For you peeps who already have the stream where you want it, congrats! :-)

There is no must on Google+...

#Plushelp   #Circle  

RESHARE:
Why do you comment on a post?

Do you agree with this or not?

Reshared text:
Comments, why do we post them?

In Google+ or other types of social networking, making comments means you're not just putting unchecked ideas into the Circleverse.

Do we have conversations because we want to put ourselves in the limelight or to make our ideas better and learn from others? Perhaps you're rather airing your ideas, collaborating to build something more refined?

We also talk to each other so we can build social relationships which may be useful to us later: But often enough, we share knowledge for its own sake. We build our collective understanding by talking to each other. Commenting is talking, too.

Discussion is an exchange of knowledge. Argument is an exchange of ignorance. (Robert Quillen)

Would you go to a party and just shout hi to everyone? Or laugh your ass off?

Commenting intelligently and on the topic is a behavior that is its own reward. For anything else, there's the +1 button.

You may disagree with me and refer to freedom of speech and for every man's right to do what they want (anarchy?) but I use my freedom to voice out an opinion and wish that one-liners be kept for funny gifs or similar.

The 'Add me to your circles' comments or obvious young male chat invitations, well...  Hmmm.

What is your opinion on this? Agree or disagree? :-)

#Plushelp  

RESHARE:
Great compilation of posts from Plussers

Interesting people and topics, take a look and save this post!

You can create an empty circle and name it 'bookmarks' or 'later' and share this post there for reading later or safekeeping.

+Rahul Roy is a very good addition to your Google+ circles...

Reshared text:
Top 40 posts about Google+ from the past week - 15/07/12
+ Featured Plussers from Weekly Posts 

1. Another one of those Google+ Anniversary Reflections posts... - By +Ryan Crowe ► http://goo.gl/8fNdm
2. The main difference in the use of FB, Twitter and G+? - By +Jaana Nyström ► http://goo.gl/7zgsH
3. What I Continue to Learn about G+... - By +Katherine Bond ► http://goo.gl/GYN6Z
4. Google Plus vs. Facebook... What vs. Who! - By +Ronnie Bincer ► http://goo.gl/HQU2Y
5. The drawbacks of circle sharing - By +Pascal Wallisch ► http://goo.gl/S3Uqw
=======================================================
Must Read: The rumor that a lot of teens are on Google+ must be true! - By +Anita Law ► http://goo.gl/GFqqW  Via +Eli Fennell 
=======================================================
6. How often can you post? - By +Google+ Help (Unofficial) ► http://goo.gl/Ng7CO
7. Effects of migrating my G+ account to my Google Apps account. - By +Pedro Dias ► http://goo.gl/t0MmE
8. Google+ Now Lets You Merge Your Personal and Work Profiles - By +Rahul Roy ► http://goo.gl/TgiRJ
9. G+ is mostly about mentally stimulating discussions between interesting people. - By +Pascal Wallisch ► http://goo.gl/ZSDFi
10. Comparison of the average follower growth - By +Chris Macidis ► http://goo.gl/n3vm2
=======================================================
11. Don't mention (+)Denis Labelle - By +Christian Schlobach ► http://goo.gl/mQ16U
12. Sharing and Notifying - By +Google+ Help (Unofficial) ► http://goo.gl/WBxst
13. Who are you? Please finish your profile, make it a first priority. - By +Google+ Help (Unofficial) ► http://goo.gl/IgxcR
14. Google+ Tips Shared Circle - By +Mark Traphagen ► http://goo.gl/qvFqV
15. Sharing from outside websites with +1 or the new share button: - By +Google+ Help (Unofficial) ► http://goo.gl/mecQL
=======================================================
16. From Facebook Village to Google+ Galaxy - By +Google+ Help (Unofficial) ► http://goo.gl/u4QC1
17. New here? - By +Google+ Help (Unofficial) ► http://goo.gl/vKqlV
18. Why Google+? - By +Google+ Help (Unofficial) ► http://goo.gl/MeAmx
19. Google+ simply cannot be considered a failure by any measurement. - By +Chris Pirillo ► http://goo.gl/w1Bhw
20. Just Getting Started? You're in luck! - By +Bud Hoffman ► http://goo.gl/pidaR
=======================================================
21. Circle here, circle there? - By +Google+ Help (Unofficial) ► http://goo.gl/tu5WM
22. Re-share: Public or limited? - By +Google+ Help (Unofficial) ► http://goo.gl/ojMMG
23. Google+ Tip: Balancing Content from Circles - By +Nicole S. Young ► http://goo.gl/YMMcE
24. Have you ever been to a Hangout? - By +Google+ Help (Unofficial) ► http://goo.gl/ueXbZ
25. Controlling your stream noise on Google+ - By +Google+ Help (Unofficial) ► http://goo.gl/atN5s
=======================================================
26. Is this the Magic Bullet to fix Accidental Multiple Accounts? - By +Ronnie Bincer ► http://goo.gl/p5a0q
27. Google+ Daily - By +Stefan Svartling ► http://goo.gl/0cge9
28. The way to success on Google+? - By +Google+ Help (Unofficial) ► http://goo.gl/qsfjQ
29. An In-depth Analysis of Authorship, Google+ and Snippets - By +Eli Fennell ► http://goo.gl/CZ6kF
30. Different uses of Google+ - By +Google+ Help (Unofficial) ► http://goo.gl/gMYKc
=======================================================
31. +CircleCount A very useful tool - By +Google+ Help (Unofficial) ► http://goo.gl/vVGPz
32. Found an interesting post but don't have time to read it now? - By +Google+ Help (Unofficial) ► http://goo.gl/PQBfq
33. *Who Are Your Biggest G+ Fans* - By +Amanda Blain ► http://goo.gl/oIQgS
34. Is Google+ becoming a hostile place for Apple customers? Should it be? - By +Mike Elgan ► http://goo.gl/ihjsT
35. +1 recommendations across the Web are rolling out to all users today - By +Rahul Roy ► http://goo.gl/WY4Hq
=======================================================
36. Is G+ automatically re-adding people to my Entertainment circle? - By +Ralph Jones ► http://goo.gl/ZIVWE
37. Are you a photographer? - By +Google+ Help (Unofficial) ► http://goo.gl/zIaSM
38. Save Google+ Posts as Bookmarks, for Future Use - By +Shamil Weerakoon ► http://goo.gl/nnWZX
39. [Shared Circle] Google+ Extension Pages (Updated) - By +Google+ Extended ► http://goo.gl/92Ocm
40. MAKE Magazine Invites You to Join the Maker Movement - By +Google+ ► http://goo.gl/QniFp
=======================================================
41. Google+ app for iPad available now in the App Store - By +Rahul Roy ► http://goo.gl/fjsxq
42. Who has authorized access to your Google? - By +Google+ Help (Unofficial) ► http://goo.gl/FF6WR
43. Newcomers welcome! - By +Jaana Nyström ► http://goo.gl/KDbvS
44. 4 Tips to Help Format Text on Google+ [Infographic] - By +CIRCLES ► http://goo.gl/2G0qG
45. Google+ UX: Stop Killing Our Discussions - By +M Sinclair Stevens ► http://goo.gl/vJrl3
=======================================================
46. 218 Interactive Brand Pages Only (Google+ Pages Only) 7.13.12 - By +Full Circle ► http://goo.gl/tUki4
47. I am thrilled to share that the Google+ app for iPad is now live in the AppStore! - By +Bradley Horowitz ► http://goo.gl/Rjlro
48. Google+ Feature Request: Gmail Integration - By +James Barraford ► http://goo.gl/bQYhn
49. Search Filters on +Google+ - By +Ben Schweitzer ► http://goo.gl/LuZ1b
50. Have you seen this video? :-) - By +Jaana Nyström ► http://goo.gl/OvRGB
=======================================================
51. Why not go Public? - By +Google+ Help (Unofficial) ► http://goo.gl/mAKUA
52. Posted by +Toby Stein: - By +Google+ Your Business ► http://goo.gl/aVimg
53. Advice from Google+ community! - By +Google+ Help (Unofficial) ► http://goo.gl/F4qfb




==========================================

Tool Used: +CircleCount chrome extension
You can create your own list at +CircleCount here's how http://goo.gl/Bby3y 
==========================================

Special thanks to +Jaana Nyström +Eli Fennell +Jens Graikowski +Shamil Weerakoon +Denis Labelle +martin shervington +Mark Traphagen +Ronnie Bincer and many others for being top contributor. 

==========================================

Collection of weekly Guide:
1. Google+ Guide for New Google+ Users : http://goo.gl/0QUt8
2. Top 10 posts of the week - March 12 : http://goo.gl/GZJiK
3. Top 40 posts of the week - March 18 : http://goo.gl/lZxRq
4. Top 50 posts of the week - March 24 : http://goo.gl/OOLnu
5. Top 70 posts of the week - March 30 : http://goo.gl/NI5XC
6. Top 60 Posts of the week - April 07 : http://goo.gl/NIq4c
7. Top 55 posts of the week - April 13 : http://goo.gl/vtPdU 
8. Top 50 posts of the week about Google+ - April 22 : http://goo.gl/Vldxc 
9. Top 40 posts about Google+ from the past week - 22/06/12 : http://goo.gl/zQoTa
10. Top 60 posts about Google+ from the past week - 15/06/12 : http://goo.gl/qK5J9 
==========================================

O #googleplustips #gplustips #weeklyguide #weeklyguidefornewbies #Google + #sharedcircles #circlesharing #publiccircles O

What about the topics in your posts?

What I’ve enjoyed most in Google+ is the lack of status updates like ‘I had an omelet for brekkies’ (acceptable if you add an image and the recipe :-)  or ‘I became Mayor of Thingummybob in Be-Square’. 

The standard of posts here is usually very high, ranging from tech to religion, humor to science and all sorts of news. And cats.
- Of course depending on who you have circled...

But the best bulletins to me are various opinions that the Plussers write on almost any theme possible.  I have learned so much, thanks to you all.

My advice to you is:
Post about the topics you like or know best about.  Tell us why you're sharing something, give us your opinions.

And remember: Attach photo or it didn't happen! :D

#Plushelp  

RESHARE:
It's great to see people pitching in with the advice and giving us a shout! :-)
Thank you +Nic Johns for the post and also +Bud Hoffman for the share.

Reshared text:
Three tips to improve your G+ experience

How do I preview a post before I make it public?
http://goo.gl/4bDqt

Why does the post formatting _sometimes not work?_ 
http://goo.gl/bI3GQ

How do I pin a circle button to my filter bar?
http://goo.gl/Wpd56

It wasn't my intent, but I seem to have asked and answered three Google Plus questions in a row. Here they are, for the benefit of anybody else asking those same questions. 

#plushelp   #googleplustips  
+Jaana Nyström 
+Google+ Help (Unofficial) 

Who can see your posts?

On your own profile stream you can see all your posts but those not in your circles can only see your public posts. If you share a post with only one circle, you as the originator can see it again on your profile ‘Posts’ page, but no one outside that circle can see it.

What if I share both to Public and to some circles?

The people in your circles only see your post in their stream if they have you circled back.
Posting in public and for circles  *without clicking the 'Notify'* has exactly the same outcome, those who are following your posts see them, others don't (unless they use the search with keywords or hashtags).  
If the post is 'Limited' then the search works only for those people who it was shared with.

You can add people as individuals at the bottom of the post in the share box, too: No need to write their names on the actual post.  Just as you can add a circle and then click it for 'notify'.

Your circles only get the notification only if you click on the circle name and tick the 'Notify' box or +mention people. You can do that and also add 'Public' share to a post.  Remember not to overuse Notifications. 

You can notify maximum 100 profiles or Pages / post.  

A good point from our 'Helper' +Robert Redl:

If you name-mention someone on a Limited post, this person is added to the "Limited" audience you originally shared it and can see the whole post with all previous comments.

So be careful to not name-mention someone by accident and mouse-over the result the auto-complete gives you to be sure it is the "right" person and not someone with the same or a similar name.

How to leave someone out?

It has been discussed among the Google+ community that being able to leave someone out of a post in a circle would be useful, we shall see if this is a coming feature. 
-Mr X instead of +Mr X?

At the moment you can just temporarily remove a person or persons from the circle you’re posting to and perhaps create a ‘Temporary’ or ‘Holding’ circle where you place the person for a little while.

Read more about Notifying
https://plus.google.com/u/0/109164280656499025716/posts/Jz5RH4iupg5

What are your thoughts on this?

#Plushelp   #Circles  

RESHARE:
Here's a very nice Chrome extension for the Google+ users:

#Plushelp  

Reshared text:
This is an extension I could not live without! :-)
Makes life so much easier...

Adds reply and reply-to-author buttons to Google+ comments and a number of other enhancements.
Add me on Google+ for notification of updates: 

 ** https://plus.google.com/115459243651688775505

Adds extra functionality to Google Plus:

 - Reply and Reply to Author links for easy +mentions of other users
 - Badges the favicon with a number when you have new messages
 - Ctrl+Enter and Shift+Enter submit a comment or post
 - "M" key mutes a post
 - Adds a dropdown next to share with additional sharing options (Twitter/Facebook/Email)
- "originally shared by" linked to original post

Extra functionality (off by default):

 - Chime on new notifications
 - Desktop notifications when you have new messages

Ignoring people

When a person adds you to a circle, you might not be interested in what they have to say, but blocking them may seem too harsh. Instead, you can just not add them to your circles or ignore them, which will limit their interaction with you.

You can ignore someone from the following places:

- The notifications in your Google bar
- Under the 'Have you in circles' tab while editing your circles or here https://plus.google.com/u/0/circles/addedyou

Circles > Have you in circles > select a person you want to ignore > Actions-button on the top right > Ignore

When you ignore a person:

- They'll be removed from the list of ‘Have you in circles.’
- Their mentions of you won't appear on your Home page and you won't receive a notification for them.

To access the list of all of the people you’ve ignored, click Circles on the side of your Home page, click the gear icon at the top and select View ignored. If you decide to add a person you previously ignored to a circle, that person will be removed from the list.

Keep in mind that ignoring someone is not the same as blocking.

An ignored person will still be able to comment on your public posts, tag you in photos, and add you to circles. You'll still receive notifications when an ignored person tags you in a photo. In addition, people you’ve ignored may appear as a suggestion again at a later time.

When you click ignore on Google+ you are not just ignoring the notifications that someone circled you, you are ignoring the user, meaning you are not going to see anything that user ever posts.

This is a great feature if used correctly, it's between a full block and having to see what that person is posting about their kids, but when mistakenly clicked could be rending you stream empty and your ignore list full.

So, how do you un-Ignore someone?

Go to your circles, and click Actions > View Ignored and start.

Or wait until some clever coder comes up with an 'Un-ignore all' extension! :-)

#Plushelp   #Jaanatip  

RESHARE:
This is interesting:
Some statistics about Google+

Thank you +Johnathan Chung 

Reshared text:
Recent Buzz in Google+ News
(via +Morten Myrstad)

Google+ Grows 43% in June
https://plus.google.com/114259566451209869276/posts/ZNrsoqPWRA2

Google+ Best in Social Media Consumer Satisfaction Survey
https://plus.google.com/114259566451209869276/posts/X9MMqfGqmcj

Image Credit: http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57473470-93/facebook-users-not-as-satisfied-as-google-users/

RESHARE:
Circle time! :-)

Great tips from +Michelle Marie for your posting process

#Plushelp  

Reshared text:
Sharing Quality Content On Google+

When you share quality content you’re adding value to Google+ and users such as myself are on the constant lookout for new people to Circle who are posting entertaining and useful and information.

Quality content entertains, educates, and helps engage the community! If you don’t share content that is considered valuable you cant expect to gather a large group of followers or receive much attention on your posts. Keep in mind, your focus should never be aimed at being “popular”, your focus should be aimed at providing valuable content to the community.

So what does one consider quality content? Unique, well written, and original content that your audience will find interesting and informative. Okay, okay, so not everyone is a great writer of original content, that doesn’t mean you can’t provide valuable curated content by digging through the Internet to find the not so easily found awesome content that lurks deep within. (20 Best Kept Secrets for Finding Content to Share: http://goo.gl/rppFT ).

Whether you’re sharing original content or curating content here are a few tips that can help you produce better quality posts:

• Start with a focus by picking a few topics to post about.
• Share content you think a lot of users will find interesting.
• Be unique and give your posts personality. Let users get to know you more.
• Summarize reshared posts by giving them your own twist.
• Don’t just reshare content, create your own content!
• Add variety to your posts by sharing videos and pictures. Words only = boring.
• Don’t go crazy with posting. Quality is more important than quantity!

Have tips you think should be added to the list? Let me know and I'll add them :)

Happy posting!

#michellesgoogleplustips

What is your passion?

Would you like to discuss the aspects, compare notes and surround yourself with people who are passionate about the same things? 
On Google+ it's very easy.
You can use the search or take a quick shortcut and add circleloads of new people:

Google+ Shared Circles Project:

From Aquarists to Designers, from CEO's to Woodcarvers and from Philosophers to Sports fans and Foodies...

Add whole circles or choose individuals, or why not circle the curators of these circles in the Google Doc here:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ao1OX3UN25EvdHRWR3lwWXQ0a0RhWnFuWml5RnJHdkE#gid=0

Browse, enjoy and pass the Google+ goodness along!

Image by +Robin Slater    #Plushelp  

RESHARE:
What is copyright?

See here:
http://www.google.fi/intl/en/policies/terms/regional.html

Image use permissions

The images displayed in a Google Image Search (or Google+) may be protected by copyright, so we can't grant you the right to use them for any purpose other than viewing them on the web. If you'd like to use images from our image search, we suggest contacting the site's webmaster to obtain permission. To learn how to find the webmaster of a site, please visit http://www.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=9109

© © ©

If you have seen another person share this post without crediting +Robert Redl 
- It was shared from him without credit, image downloaded and shared like it were that person's own: We can call it 'stolen' in a way.  This is unacceptable behaviour on Google+, even though the copyright does not extend to this case. Still, better be careful.

DON'T do this.
There are many people who have lost their whole Google account because of stealing posts.

Reshared text:
blue pill, red pill facebook google

Update: h/t +Thomas Morffew 
https://plus.google.com/110352049954858592591/posts/HqURKKkHe85

RESHARE:
Via +Robert Redl 

Read this, read this! :-)

Very good post from +DeAno Jackson  about Circles, interests, Hangouts and some helpful etiquette even.

Reshared text:
This Is Not Facebook

I've been noticing that over the past few weeks that quite a few people have been migrating to here from Facebook, which is great! Welcome to all of you! To help your experience here, I'm going to help you by explaining what G+ is and, most importantly, what it is not.

I'll start with the latter. As you guessed from my title, this isn't Facebook. What I mean by that is that Google+ isn't the place you come to reconnect with old friends, people you knew (and didn't give a shit about then either) in high school, or people you hung out with in college. For the most part, those people aren't here. They're on Facebook, and despite the fact that Zuckerburg and company regularly disregard their privacy, think they're too stupid to make choices for themselves (EdgeRank), and show a general disregard for anything they'd want to see done with the service (instead catering to advertisers), they're comfortable there. They're not going anywhere.

So, if you come here, try to find some of these people, maybe find a few, make a few posts and don't get any feedback, you're going to go right back to Facebook complaining that G+ is boring.

You will also have missed what Google+ is about. To sum it up as simply as I can, Facebook is where you connect with old friends. Google+ is where you find new ones.

See that search bar at the top of your screen? Unlike the site on which you're accustomed to spending your time, the one here is actually useful. Interested in poetry slams? A quick search up there (https://plus.google.com/s/poetry%20slam) will show you who else shares those interests. Photography? No sweat (https://plus.google.com/s/photography). Harry Potter? Twilight? True Blood? Pottery? You'll find it here.

Take a few of those people that share your interests. Add them to your Circles. Interact with them. Post things here about the things you're interested in. The more you do that, the more you'll start to see where G+ shines, why it can do what no other network before it could do so very well.

And for God's sake, fill out your profiles! Really can't stress that enough. If you circle someone, chances are they're going to check your profile (I always do). If there's nothing there telling them why they should circle you back, it's likely that they won't. It really doesn't take all that long to type a few lines about who you are and what you're interested in. Feel free to see mine as an example (someone can see that and know exactly what I'm about without ever having to see a single post from me).

Oh, and don't be afraid to comment on the post of someone you don't know. People make posts public for a reason; to encourage interaction with as many people as possible.

Let me give you a couple of people to add to a Circle to get you started. +Natalie Villalobos is a given; she's a Community Manager here on G+, and will always keep you in the loop on cool things that are happening around here. +Daria Musk is another one to keep an eye on; she's practically the Official Singer/Songwriter of Google+.

The more you're here, the more you'll meet people that you find interesting and decide to add them. The more you interact with them, the more fun you'll have here.

Edit: Oh, can't believe I forgot this one. DO NOT ASK HOW TO WRITE ON SOMEONE'S WALL! There is no Wall. This isn't Facebook. Leave that mentality behind. You cannot post anything on someone's page. If there's a post you want them to see, tag them in it, and it will appear in their notifications.

2nd Edit (4/27/12): I'm re-posting this because I have a few things to add, mostly involving Hangouts. While many of us use this feature a lot (I'm in no less than three Hangouts daily), I've noticed some of you seem to be scared of them. Trust me; don't be. You've got nothing to lose and everything to gain by just jumping in and meeting people. Even if the Hangout isn't necessarily 'about' a particular subject, just jump in!

Here, I'll even help: http://goo.gl/NJUQP

Pick a Hangout, and join it. Just go for it, give it a shot. It's not like you're doing anything useful today, and besides, what have you got to lose?

Edit: Oh, people, this should help you out a bit too. Any Hangout that isn't On-Air you can join from most mobile devices with a front facing camera. That includes the iPhone 4, the iPhone 4s, and just about any Android device with a front camera and an Android OS of 2.3 or higher. I've become fond of joining Hangouts from my Evo 4G.
That's all I got for now, so again, welcome to Google+, and I'll catch you all later.

RESHARE:
Good tips about sharing your photos with the right people:

Thank you +Denis Labelle 

#Plushelp  

Reshared text:
New Google+ User -> Share photo with the right people
Share all your most important memories

Share with the right people. Save every photo from your phone. Make photos look their best.

1. Share photo album: Google+: Share Photo Albums

2. Choose who can see your albums
3. Approve or remove name tags: plus.google.com/photos/instantupload
4. Edit and personalize your photos

More: google.com/+/learnmore/photos/

Going round in circles...

Sharing your circles and interests

This is a good way to let others to find people who are interested in your hobby: Perhaps you have found excellent Google+ users who share your passion and would like your other circles or the general public to also enjoy their posts or content.

That’s very easy to do: 

Go to your ‘Circles’ page and find the circle in question. Click the circle: You see all the people in it displayed at the top of the page. Now go and look at the circle at the lower half of the page and you’ll see in the center of it ‘Edit / Delete / Share’. By clicking the Share you get choices: Public, all circles or just one, extended circles or then you can just +name and share it with few people.

You may also change the name and description of the circle from 'Edit'.  Delete removes the circle and the people in it: If you have same people in several circles, they don't disappear from those.

One way of managing your circles is moving (copying) all the people from smaller circles to a large one (there's no limit to this), then deleting the unnecessary ones.


Posting a share

Maximum size for a circle that can be shared is 500. 

Give an explanation why you'd like to share this circle so that people will know if it's your woodwork / knitting / doglovers circle or your scientists one... :-) You don't have to reveal the actual name you've given to the circle.

You can also disable comments or lock the share on the post (so no-one can re-share it) by clicking the grey arrow on the bottom right. This somehow defeats the goal of circle shares, though...

There is box you can tick if you want to include yourself in the circle, to be shared onwards.

How to get more exposure for your circle share:

+CircleCount has a very nice website, I recommend you all add your profiles there.
People also post their shared circles on this page:
http://www.circlecount.com/sharedcircles/

And so can you. After you have shared the circle, click on the time stamp at the top of the post: It opens up and the URL or the web address is now unique to that Google+ post.  Copy the URL and add it to the right-hand box on Circlecount.com page.  Click send, refresh and you'll see your circle there.  Then you can copy THAT url and attach it to your post by editing it. Easy to share the circle with that URL also on other sites like Twitter or Facebook, for people not yet on Google+.

Just like has been done on this post:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/107742059751171695340/posts/fZnbuhesqKN

Happy sharing!

#Plushelp   #Jaanatip   #newtogoogleplus   #circleshare  

Image by +Jaana Nyström 

This excellent post is from +Alex Garcia, one of the international Google+ Helpers:

Quick Google+ How-to-do

To everyone new out there or still trying to figure out this place.
What do you find difficult to understand when you first arrive to Google+?

1) How to find people you already know?
Circles (left menu = ribbon) - Find people button - enter name or All suggestions button to add contacts from your email accounts, school, work.

2) How to find strangers that share your interests?
Use the search box below the black bar. Type your interest with or without a #hashtag  

3) Who can see your posts?
Public - Everyone. Chosen circle - only the people on that circle. Other options available. If you comment on a public post is public. If you comment on a limited post, is limited to the people who is participating.

4) How do I send a private message?
Just choose the person or circle in the box above the share button before sending the message.  Or +name.

5) How do I know who is participating in a post?
Look at the top of the post next to name and time. If it says limited click on the word and you will see who is participating. If it says public everyone can see it. Comments do not appear in your profile under the posts tab.

6) Why are people adding me?
It's like entering a party and asking why do people want to shake hands with you. It does nothing. People are just saying hello.

7) Do I have to add people that circled me?
Only add people that YOU want to follow. You can add them and see what they post for a while. If you don't like the person remove him/her from your circles. Or you can just not add them at all

8) I circled people but they are not circling me back.
You do not have a photo. The only information in your profile is gender. You have not posted public, therefore your profile posts area looks empty. You have posted 25 links selling something (spammer?)  Besides on Google+ everyone chooses who to circle, no need to circle back.

9) Where are my privacy settings?
https://www.google.com/settings/plus

10) Where can I find more help?
http://www.google.com/intl/en/+/learnmore/

11) How do I set my business page?
http://support.google.com/plus/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=1710691&topic=1710599&ctx=topic

12) Lost in translation?
If you use Chrome here is an extension that translates posts/comments. https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/jfppgkomfopklagggkjiaddgndkgopgl

Thank you +Alex Garcia!

Anything you'd like to ask about the post?

#Plushelp  

Would you like to see what we have been posting about?

Here is our 'Timeline' of all the useful Google+ posts

Save and enjoy! :-)

#Plushelp  

Time for Goobies or Google+ newcomers! :-)

I recommend you try Hangouts, they're fun!

Never mind if the hair is not okay or you're not wearing make-up:  We're all just human here! :-)  Give it a go, try joining the Hangout Queen +Amanda Blain  or take a look at some Hangouts On Air first, to get the idea.

If you use Chrome, add +Hangout Canopy  extension and you'll see the Hangouts that are going on all the time:
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/hangout-canopy/dbjbjpicplblhgkjjdbplpgkmhojmjom

You can find Live Hangouts also on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/live

Enjoy and Hang Out, but first read this:

Hangout advice for newcomers!

Here is a great guest post by member of the international Google+ Helpers Team, the very interesting +martin shervington. You really should hangout with him some time! :-)

❢ ❢ ❢

The hangouts are like a porch front
You are walking by, see people chilling out and decide to pop in...

You enter the hangout and then what?

Mute your mic when entering, say HI in chat, use headphones, mute mic when on the phone, playing music or rattling keys!

Here are a few suggestions when you don't know the people:
Please note: these are suggestions only based on what I have seen happen over the past few weeks.
You can, of course, do what you want!

1. Say hi!
Why not let people know you are there.... If people are discussing, you can do it via the chat. Click it open from the left hand corner.
The hangouts I have been in have all been very friendly and welcoming.

2. Say where you are from 
You can also let people know where you are from. 
People love to connect with people from anywhere in the world. This is a true global community!
Regularly this information is the next question you would have been asked in any case. 
People love to hear about foreign places, as they journey in their minds through your stories; as well as being reminded of their home as well.

3. Listen to what people are chatting about and engage around this topics
If you are new, you may like to listen for a little while first and then speak. Sometimes long, hilarious, serious, or even exciting hangout conversations will have been going on before you arrived. You'll be able to gauge the mood of the porch...

4. Think about it like a porch!
If you just stand there and say nothing, you are not really contributing to the dynamic.
That can be ok but let people know you just want to listen in.
Sometimes, people who haven't much English may want to be quieter, but so many hangouters will be patient with you, so don't worry too much about this.

5. Engage
Hangouts are an incredible way to engage with people. The more you know about those hanging out, the more you will probably relate to what they are saying.
Maybe you want to have a look at people's profiles so you can understand more of the contexts of the conversation. With me, for instance, knowing that I love psychology and comedy will give you the context if I am anlalysing the benefits of Google+

6. Be nice - ok, this is just as advice, remember...you can do what you want but...
If you are inappropriate then you will probably get blocked. I've seen this happen.
Also, try not to "speak over" people as that is often an irritation. Also try not to type at the same time unless you are "muted" already.
You may find yourself getting put into the naughty corner (thanks +Jason Joseph for raising my awareness on how irritating that is :P)

Personally, I aim to be upbeat and positive - people respond to your mood in the same way as they do in real life.
Have fun! So often people will all be laughing in the hangout when one person starts. 
Fun is infectious. 

7. Enjoy being yourself!
Relax as much as you can when you learn from some of the people that have been on here since last June.
The topics covered will be as numerous as the people you hangout with.

So, in summary - think about it as a porch.
This is new technology and that is one of the handiest ways to look at it - say and do what you would do if you were chilling on a porch.

Thank you +martin shervington!

More information about Hangouts from Google:
http://support.google.com/plus/bin/topic.py?hl=en&topic=1257349

#Plushelp   #Googleplustips  

RESHARE:
Do you use Hootsuite already?

Now with Google+ integration!

Add it to your Chrome:
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/kneloppijbcidgidihgdjnooihjcdbij

Reshared text:
Time To Try HootSuite - Now With Google+ Pages Integration!

That may also mean Google Analytics Integration?

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/kneloppijbcidgidihgdjnooihjcdbij

You can add HootSuite to Chrome at the above.

To block or not to block - that is the question

Blocking is quite extreme: This means the person won't see any of your posts unless reshared, cannot comment on your threads or participate in a Hangout if you are there.  Or, if they are in a Hangout and you'd like to join, you cannot...

Blocking should only be used on spammers, stalkers, trolls and those losers who suggest sex on the Interwebz.
Or if you feel that someone is a real jerk and you don't want to have anything to do with them.
You can unblock someone later.

Just removing someone from circles is much better if you have no reason for blocking:

When you hover your mouse over a person's name you see the hovercard: From there you can untick all the circle boxes in one go. Or you can visit their profile page and uncircle from the top.

One way to uncircle is to go to your Circles page and remove the profile from all the circles they are in.  Just removing them from one circle leaves the profile on possible other circles.

Blocking should never be done lightly!

To block someone:

Go to their profile.
On the side of the profile click Block [person's name].
Confirm that you want to block that person.

The following are the results of blocking someone

Keep in mind that the limits placed upon the person you've blocked are only enforced when they're logged in. For instance, if someone you've blocked is signed in, they won't be able to see your public posts, but if they aren't signed in, they may be able to see those posts.

When you block someone:
You won't see their content in your stream (even though you'll remain in their circles).
They'll be removed from any circles of yours that they appear in.
They'll be removed from your extended circles, even if you have mutual connections.
They won't be able to add new comments to your content. However, comments they made before you blocked them will still be visible and can be deleted or reported.
They won't be able to see your comments on other people's posts.
They won't be able to view any of your posts that you share after blocking them.
They won't be able to mention you in posts or comments.

After you block someone, the content you've previously shared with them will still be visible in their Home page. They can't engage with the post (comment, etc.)

When you block someone, Google won't proactively notify them (unless you block them from within a hangout). But since blocking someone limits the interactions that person can have with you, they may figure out that they've been blocked.
You cannot join a Hangout if someone already there has blocked you and no-one you have blocked may join a Hangout where you already are.

To see the list of people you've blocked, click the 'Actions' menu on your Circles page, then select View blocked.

The new feature 'mute' works on those who spam harmless content and are not in your circles. By muting them you won't see their +mentions again.

About ignoring and muting:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/109164280656499025716/109164280656499025716/posts/dwphqMZJpsH

What are your thoughts on this?

#Circles     #Blocking     #Plushelp  

Sharing your own circles? Let's take a look at some #etiquette points.

Why not add ME?

Some folks suggesting adding themselves to the forefront when it's a question of anyone's personal taste are just so...  Hmmm.

Maybe it's a cultural thing but I feel ashamed for them. I'm not the only one, I've seen similar posts around.  We all have our tastes and opinions and if they differ from yours, feel free to make your own list or circle, with you in it.

Another problem I've seen here on Google+

Plussers share their circles for others to enjoy and the people attack them. Why on Earth?  
 
Not many here just present their friends or pals in a circle - well at least not like selling circle shares on Fiverr which has happened, or at least not without mentioning that this is the very nice people's circle who are my pals.

But the people in SUL and the serious Plussers don't.  I'm very particular about that myself, if I say these people to my mind deserve to be in this circle, then they do...  They might not post all day and every day about a certain topic but which of us do?

If you don't like the circle share or disagree with the topic / leaving out your favorite / don't like the poster, why not just move on? No need to get unpleasant and / or aggressive. Jump over the post and forget it.

The third problem is pushiness

There are many millions of people in +Google+ with different tastes and preferences. Every once in a while I've had unpleasantly 'pushy' and/or derogatory experiences in the stream, not just in my own posts.

When someone goes through the trouble of curating and choosing the people in it and then shares the ready circle, what makes you think you should be in it? Or your friend or Hangout pal? Or even the really 'cool people' on the top of the G+ lists? 

Have you ever stopped to think; what may be 'cool' to you might not be the same to others? If you don't like what you see, just move on. Needless to badmouth the circle or the people in it, even though you don't know half of them...
"Me me mememememeeee"... That is the problem.

Please, don't be pushy!

Respect the choices and decisions of other people, then they in turn will respect yours.

How to get in those shared circles, you may ask?

- Comment on the posts of the people with the same tastes
- Post about those topics
- Show that you have what it takes to be included!

This is a topic we'll be telling you more about in posts to come...

#Plushelp   #Jaanatip  

Trying to get into those Circles? Asking for sex is not the way.

The best way to get circled is NOT by commenting “Just saying Hi” or Hiiiii but writing your opinion or thoughts on the original post.
People have started blocking users because of the silly comments.  Many of us add new folks when we see a good answer to a post.

When you have something more insightful to add to the discussion, please post it. However, there’s always an exception: If the post is humorous, a gif or a funny picture without a deeper meaning, then one-liners are universally accepted.

Before adding your comment: Please try to read the previous comments first, you might learn something new or find great new people to circle! Or notice that someone has already commented about the same stuff...  Then you could just give a +1 to that comment.

If you just want to comment because you'd like to get notifications of the future comments, then why not say so.

Please chat with me

What is behind this asking nice-looking girls to have sex or something online?  Big NO and a really stupid idea.
When did someone ever get laid because they asked a stranger over the Internet? 


Let’s be polite

The Google+ community is very special and we welcome all newcomers with open arms. As long as you behave! :-)

When you comment on someone’s post, please consider what you are writing before hitting enter, the ‘post’ or' share' key. Let's keep Google+ a positive environment.
Also when it’s a question of a celebrity or a high-profile user with tons of followers:  The 500 comment limit is quickly reached with the meaningless exclamations or 'Hiii's'...


#Plushelp  

RESHARE:
Some very interesting people and posts, put together by the ever diligent +Rahul Roy!

If you create an empty circle called 'Later', you can save posts like this with that circle and read it later.

Reshared text:
Top 40 posts about Google+ from the past week - 22/07/12
+ Featured Plussers from Weekly Posts

1. Google+ grows 43% in June – reaches 31,9 million unique visitors in the US, new numbers from Compete shows - By +Morten Myrstad ► http://goo.gl/dGPTM
2. G+ on your Gmail - By +Tom Voute ► http://goo.gl/nQafS
3. Sharing your own circles? Let's take a look at some #etiquette points. - By +Google+ Help (Unofficial) ► http://goo.gl/C32JT
4. Creating unofficial Google+ Help Guidebook - By +Jari Huomo ► http://goo.gl/w5hCQ
5. Time for Goobies or Google+ newcomers! :-) - By +Google+ Help (Unofficial) ► http://goo.gl/viiza
=======================================================
6. Quick Google+ How-to-do - By +Google+ Help (Unofficial) ► http://goo.gl/upmFb
7. Suggested User List Update - By +Neeta Tolani ► http://goo.gl/8Wzhk
8. Going round in circles... - By +Google+ Help (Unofficial) ► http://goo.gl/ObHML
9. What is copyright? Image use permissions - By +Google+ Help (Unofficial) ► http://goo.gl/cb7Kp
10. Google+ Users are more satisfied than others.. - By +Rahul Roy ► http://goo.gl/wI5Rj
=======================================================
11. Ignoring people: Things to remember - By +Google+ Help (Unofficial) ► http://goo.gl/r0xwj
12. blue pill, red pill facebook google - By +Robert Redl ► http://goo.gl/a7tAe
13. 5 Golden Rules for New Google+ Users - By +Amir Abbas ► http://goo.gl/7eP7X
14. Who can see your posts? - By +Google+ Help (Unofficial) ► http://goo.gl/9FFi0
15. Google Plus vs. Facebook... What vs. Who! - By +Ronnie Bincer ► http://goo.gl/HQU2Y
=======================================================
16. Google+ has become addictive - By +Martin G Lake ► http://goo.gl/WUjgS
17. Why Google+ integration into Google News is Awesome! - By +Rahul Roy ► http://goo.gl/ep5lG
18. Google is pleased with the growth of Google+ - By +Rahul Roy ► http://goo.gl/1dH9E
19. Author Stats Returns To Google Webmaster Tools - By +Rahul Roy ► http://goo.gl/9SVLW
20. How To Auto-Publish Your Blog Posts To Your Google+ Page - By +Mark Traphagen ► http://goo.gl/m6d81
=======================================================
21. Wanted to record the #WilliamShatnerWednesday so here's the activity graphed on +NOD3x - By +Lee Smallwood ► http://goo.gl/CKxPP
22. What does MAYBE mean?... (G+ Events Tip) - By +Ronnie Bincer ► http://goo.gl/cBhn9
23. To block or not to block - that is the question - By +Google+ Help (Unofficial) ► http://goo.gl/PfMUO
24. Is Google+ The Best Social Network For Marketers After All? - By +Eli Fennell ► http://goo.gl/5Vu8r
25. 'Timeline' of all the useful Google+ posts - By +Google+ Help (Unofficial) ► http://goo.gl/ZpQ2M
=======================================================
26. What is your passion? - By +Google+ Help (Unofficial) ► http://goo.gl/wVAXU
27. Limits on circles - By +Shamil Weerakoon ► http://goo.gl/UqNSF
28. Circle the Solar System - By +Fraser Cain ► http://goo.gl/LMErQ
29. Maker Camp on Google+ will be a blast! - By +MAKE ► http://goo.gl/TgVsh
30. What about the topics in your posts? - By +Google+ Help (Unofficial) ► http://goo.gl/cJb5k
=======================================================
31. Circle here, circle there? - By +Google+ Help (Unofficial) ► http://goo.gl/tu5WM
32. i have won the lottery! - By +Jens Graikowski ► http://goo.gl/ZZ6yS
33. Birthday Notifications Arrive on Google+ - By +Linda Lawrey ► http://goo.gl/FMCSY
34. Updating Google+ Brand pages from Hootsuite - By +Rahul Roy ► http://goo.gl/oVsO6
35. Sharing Quality Content On Google+ - By +Google+ Help (Unofficial) ► http://goo.gl/4vnTg
=======================================================
36. Google+ account migration status: Confused - By +Joost Schuur ► http://goo.gl/YekRZ
37. +Readtracker - Work in Progress / Experimental - By +Gerwin Sturm ► http://goo.gl/HTnnf
38. Google Apps Users can add others to Circles through GChat - By +Rahul Roy ► http://goo.gl/Nd7Bh
39. [pic]Some Say Ghost Town? - By +G+ Ghost Town ► http://goo.gl/QkuOR
40. 11 TOP Google+ Photographs for July 16 - By +Kol Tregaskes ► http://goo.gl/CU9xY
=======================================================
41. What do you like best about Google+? - By +Google+ Help (Unofficial) ► http://goo.gl/vJ8nz
42. *G+ is helping me think like a reporter. * - By +Tom Knight (journalist) ► http://goo.gl/auQq3
43. Google is Acquiring Part Of Design Firm Cuban Council For Google+ - By +Rahul Roy ► http://goo.gl/GCQpW
44. Google+ for marketers (interview with +Chris Lang) - By +Mike Elgan ► http://goo.gl/mcI0N

==========================================

Tool Used: +CircleCount chrome extension
You can create your own list at +CircleCount here's how http://goo.gl/Bby3y 

Opt-In for Notification Circle Here: http://goo.gl/kDwDn
==========================================

Collection of weekly Guide:
1. Google+ Guide for New Google+ Users : http://goo.gl/0QUt8
2. Top 10 posts of the week - March 12 : http://goo.gl/GZJiK
3. Top 40 posts of the week - March 18 : http://goo.gl/lZxRq
4. Top 50 posts of the week - March 24 : http://goo.gl/OOLnu
5. Top 70 posts of the week - March 30 : http://goo.gl/NI5XC
6. Top 60 Posts of the week - April 07 : http://goo.gl/NIq4c
7. Top 55 posts of the week - April 13 : http://goo.gl/vtPdU 
8. Top 50 posts of the week about Google+ - April 22 : http://goo.gl/Vldxc 
9. Top 40 posts about Google+ from the past week - 22/06/12 : http://goo.gl/zQoTa
10. Top 40 posts about Google+ from the past week - 06/07/12 : http://goo.gl/UXTQp 11. Top 50 posts about Google+ from the past week - 15/07/12: http://goo.gl/wrdWC 
==========================================

O #googleplustips #gplustips #weeklyguide #weeklyguidefornewbies #Google + #sharedcircles #circlesharing #publiccircles O

Time for newcomers'  tutorials:

Helpful Google+ videos

Google+: Set Up Your Profile

Welcome to Google+
Google+: A quick look

Google+: Reading and Responding
Google+: Sharing
Google+: There's more to explore

Google+: Circles
Google+: About Circles

When you open YouTube and usually when sharing a video from there you use the 'Share' link under the video, right?  Copy and then paste it to the share link box.

On comments or inside the text however:  Copy and then paste the top URL!
That's what has been done here. When you write the post it looks like a normal YouTube URL, but after saving it changes like this into readable text.

More Google+ Help here: All our posts in one website
http://www.googleplussuomi.com/timelinetest.php?googleid=109164280656499025716&sort=oldest

#Plushelp  

RESHARE:


Reshared text:
I made a video thing

In this video I demonstrate how brand page managers can use #DoShare to get a simple task done faster.

When you see a post on your personal Google+ stream, as a result of a search or just plain browsing, which you'd like to share as your brand page, you can click on the Send to Do Share button, and then set it to be shared as a page.

Without +Do Share, this takes a long time, and usually people don't go through the trouble of finding that same post as their brand page. With Do Share you can focus on getting the posts you like to your audiences.

Install Do Share from the Chrome Web Store: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/oglhhmnmdocfhmhlekfdecokagmbchnf

Connect to Google products and services by adding these Google Community Managers to a circle:

Lots of information & updates on their profiles but of course also posts about their life and interests.

+Yonatan Zunger Chief architect, fingers in many pies
+Sky Bintliff CM for Google+ Mobile & Events
+Brian Matiash CM for Google Photos
+Amit Fulay CM for Hangouts
+Brian Rose  CM at Niantic Labs working on +Field Trip  and +Ingress 

+Dori Storbeck  CM for Hangouts/Chat
+Abby DeBellis +Jade Wang   CM for Google+ Local
+Carolyn Wendell  CM for Gmail
+Katherine Gramann  CM for Calendar

+Paul Wilcox  CM for Mobile
+Tina Patel  CM for Google Play
+Jacky Hayward  CM for Chrome
+Melissa Daniels  CM for Chrome OS

+Gerard Sanz  CM for Panoramio
+Nicole Drobeck  CM for 3D 
+Teresa Wu  CM for Drive

+Lisa Ding  CM for Blogger
+Sarah Price  CM for Project Glass
+Daniel Mabasa  CM for Maps

+Meera L  CM for Apps
+Kevin Lau  CM for Google TV
+Matt Bariletti  CM for Google Voice
+Jessica Schwartz   & +Kousha Navidar  - CMs for Web Search

+Bernardo Barlach   CM for Orkut

And the lovely lady to rule them all  :-)
+Natalie Villalobos  CM for Google+ and Communities

Why not a circle?

I didn't put them in a circle because the people dealing with products change, not all want to circle all etc.
If you save the link to this post in your profile links section for instance, it will get an update of the content always automatically, a circle won't. :-)

https://plus.google.com/109164280656499025716/posts/FGCnCFuQEUn


People have been asking about the photo:

This part of the team is waiting for the thumbs up to share some nice posts about new Google+ features to us.
The tall one is +Yonatan Zunger  and the smaller ones next to +Natalie Villalobos in the middle are +Sky Bintliff  and +Dori Storbeck 
 
The rest of the CM team are down in the burrow, working on the features. They will change places every now and then.

Here is the link to all the Google Help Forums where you'll meet the CM:s too:

http://support.google.com/bin/static.py?hl=en&page=portal_groups.cs

#Plushelp  

RESHARE:
Back to basics for newbies:
How about engaging with strangers?

Many things explained by the helpful +Billy Wilson: Take a look and soon the strangers may turn into acquaintances or even friends...

#Plushelp  

Reshared text:
How to Interact on Posts

I've found that many people are unsure what to do on G+ once they have joined. The easiest thing to do is to just watch content being posted to your stream (you can view the stream by clicking "Home" at the top of the left panel). So in this post I highlight 5 areas where one can interact on a post, each area is highlighted in the screenshot below.

1. +1'ng a Post: This is the easiest thing to do, just click the "+1" button. The tally of how many people have "+1'd" is the first number on the right along the same row, a few profile pictures might be shown before the number, this usually shows you the profile pictures of people Google thinks you might recognize. A "+1" can mean many things; I like this, I read this, I agree, Hello, I appreciate you.... and so on. It's the easiest way to leave something on a post.

2. Sharing a Post: By sharing a post, you're essentially reposting it with attribution to the first person who shared the post. When sharing a post, you are given the same box to fill out as if you were making an original post. You can add some commentary to the top of your shared post letting people know why you shared it and near the bottom of the box you can select who you want to share this with, particular people, circles, extended circles (friends of friends), or public. Just click "Share" when you have filled things out and it will be posted. The number of shares is also tallied, the number is to the right of the "+1" tally along the same row.

3. Start a Hangout About This Post: This is probably one of the lesser used features of G+, you can hangout and discuss a post. By clicking this a window will load just like you were starting or joining a normal hangout. (How to hangout: http://goo.gl/3XdBQ)

4. Add a Comment: If you click here, you can type in a comment. You can format your comment with *bold*, -strike-, or _underlined_. Just click "Post comment" once you've typed something and it will be posted to the thread. In comments you can +mention people, just start by typing a "+" and then immediately type in the exact name of the profile you wanted to mention and Google should be able to give you a name option before you're done typing. +mentions by default send people emails, so these are great for keeping a conversation going, bringing people into a conversation, and making new connections with people on G+.

5. Options menu: Right here is a small down pointing arrow that you can click on that will open a menu of 4-5 options. The first option is "Link to post", this will give you a link you can use to find this post by itself. The second option is "Report abuse", use this if the post is abusive or has spam/inappropriate content. The third option is "Mute this post", and this can be a very valuable option, this will silence the post, so if you commented on a post and keep getting annoying notifications and emails, you can make those go away by muting the post these are coming from. The next two options aren't always present. If the person is in your circles you will have the option "Remove from circles" present, this will remove them from your stream. The other option sometimes present is "View ripples", this is only available if the post has been reshared and will give you a page with a graph displaying the shares.

#Google #Help  

RESHARE:
Well, take a look at this!

Pinterest -style 'What's Hot' with all the great photo posts in one place

Excellent work from our favourite coder +Jari Huomo!

#Plushelp   #googleplustips  

Reshared text:
What´s hot around the Google+ Ghost world

Just open this page and you will see:
http://www.googleplussuomi.com/hotaroundtheworld.php

First page photo posts from What´s Hot lists around the world.
Page is updated every 30 minutes.

+Google+ Help (Unofficial) 

Different ways of checking your Notifications:

Have you noticed: When you click on the 'View all notifications' from the Red Box, there are more ways to view your mentions and comments?

Check the 'More' dropdown on top and there you will find

- Your posts (Other people have commented, +1:d or shared)
- Mentions of you (+mentions of your name)
- Photos of you (You have been tagged in a photo)
- Other people's posts (Subscribed circle's posts / your own comments)

I found many +mentions of me which I didn't get a notification of or it got lost somewhere...
https://plus.google.com/u/0/notifications/mentions

Missing mentions from that interesting discussion yesterday?
https://plus.google.com/notifications/otherposts

The notifications have been acting up a lot lately but that usually means that something new is coming...  :-)

#Plushelp  

RESHARE:
Welcome all newcomers!

Very useful advice for the daily dose of Google+

With time everyone learns how to use the platform in a way that suits their needs best, but until that day you can read the suggestions from experienced  users:

#Plushelp 

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How to Interact Well on Google+ (Update: Basic Etiquette & Posting Tips)

This is an update to one of my most popular posts... some things have changed (re. this topic), but most have remained the same here on the Plus.

How to Interact Well on Google+ I'm 'old enough' on Google+ to know what to do, but I can still remember being 'New Here' and my concerns about doing it 'right'. Read this post and make note of things you may not have known... it will add confidence to your interactions or engagements... and that will help you grow here on Google Plus!

The Dos - what is Good to do on Google+
1) When you like something, i.e. a comment someone made: +1 it.
Hitting the +1 on someone's comment is a good way of saying, "I Agree", "Got It", or "Good Job", etc. (BTW, it is OK to +1 your own stuff)

2) After you have +1'ed something, if you want to engage more, then add a comment. This is how the conversation with others gets started... you may find a friend, and then you can add them to your circles.

3) Share Other People's Posts
When you share someone's post you are telling them that what they posted was good stuff. We all like to know that others like our work... so share (it's one of those early lessons you likely learned in life). 

Think of how what you are about to share impacted you and make a short comment to personalize it while you share it - realize your comment during sharing will be removed if someone else shares your share of it. I like to +1 the post I'm about to share, maybe make a comment thanking them and Then I Share it.

4) When Someone Shares Your Stuff - Thank Them
When you find that your post has been shared by someone (you'll get an alert), it's a good idea to thank them for sharing it. +1 their share of it, make a comment on the reshare ("thanks for sharing"), etc.

If someone shares you stuff a lot, make note of them and maybe add them to a 'shares my stuff' circle... you might consider asking these circle members (privately) if they mind getting a 'Notification Alert' when you have something important to share in the future. (see #2 in the 'Don't section' below)

5) Post to 'Public' (when you can)
Circles are a way to group people. Sending posts to people that are just in your Circle is fine when the conversation is limited to just them, but if you send your posts to the 'Public' more people will see the content and then you may end up getting some new friends. 

If you post to the 'public', the people in your Circles will still see the posts. When you post 'public' others can join in the conversation (see #1 & #2 above)... and it is easier for others to reshare.

6) +Mention People by name in your posts: +them
This helps us when we are busy, know that we were 'mentioned' - we get an 'alert'. This is a Social Place, people like to know that they are being referenced, so doing that is a good social practice. It is done by simply typing a + just before you type their name.

7) Bold and Italicize with care
You Bold text by adding the * character just before and after the words. You make text italic by doing the same with the _ character. Please don't overdo either! (yes you can combine them.)

8) Edit your post when needed - quickly
You are given the possibility of making edits to your posts (or comments) after you have posted them... use that great feature to clean up those typos! If someone shares your post right away, they may be sharing the un-edited version, so try to clean up quickly. (upper right corner of your post)

9) Add Hash Tags to your Posts
Adding a hash tag will help people find more of your stuff if you use them consistently. It also helps people search out a topic more easily as they can simply click that hashtag and get similar posts listed. Make them by typing the # symbol followed immediately by a word or words (no spaces allowed).

See more about #hashtags  here: http://goo.gl/DAiID

10) When you refer to another Google+ Post, use a URL Shortener
Google+ postings have long URLs, so try utilizing a URL Shortener like goo.gl to make your link references less obtrusive.

11) When you enter a Hangout or Hangouts On Air - Mute Your Mic & Open the Chat Window
The Mute function is found in the upper right of your Hangout window, the Chat function is found in the upper left. Muting is polite if your environment is noisy (else no need to mute). The Chat window is a great place to 'enter the conversation' without interrupting. Once the participants know you better you don't need to do these things, but the first few times it is a good idea!

12) When you send out a Post, use a Picture
It is just smart to help get people's attention if your post contains a picture or video... posting with just text will not get the attention of most people

The Don'ts - what is not good to do on Google+
1) Don't SPAM people... you'll get Blocked [or Removed] by them and others won't like you either.

2) Don't Alert or Notify people on All your postings
When you send a Notification for each of your posts, people will get tired of your activity. Save the Notifications for the most important postings you do. You Notify or alert people when you + their name (mentions) or when you hover over the 'non-public' circle name you are sending to and then check the box that reads 'Notify about this post'.

3) When joining a Hangout or HOA, Don't just yell 'Hello'
Hangouts are conversations, it is not very polite to just start yelling in someone's conversation... for some reason people feel it is OK to do that in Hangouts... well, it is not! (see #10 above).

Written by: +Ronnie Bincer 

###
If you like this kind of stuff, you can get more from me by 1) Adding me to your circles, 2) Click on the relevant hashtags at the bottom of my posts like #googleplustips 3) Filter the G+ Search Result by choosing 'From your circles'.

You can also find more google-plus-posts-from.me by clicking this link!
- - - 
#googleplustips   #gplustips   #MGPW   #etiquette  
- - -

Are you wondering how to add / share photos to Google+?

Hopefully this will help!

#Plushelp  

*For +mentioning someone in a post discussion thread so that the name turns into a blue, clickable link:* 

Normally you type +name and don't hurry as Google suggests names: You can also start typing the family name. Then you just click on the correct name from the dropdown list.  Or you can also copy the Profile ID number and type a + in front of that.

Easiest way for Chrome users is the 'Replies & More' extension:

Adds reply and reply-to-author buttons to Google+ comments and a number of other enhancements.

#Plushelp  

RESHARE:
Nice advice from Norway:

Combining and modifying different advice,
you can create your own Google+ user experience

Now, read on! :-)

Reshared text:
This old tip from +Mark Traphagen is still relevant, for those of you which only use circles to categorize people by interests etc.
But it is also useful to filter the search stream, and to find new people and discussions. 

From my point of view, this deserve another read, and 
I'm surprised that this tip has not been re-shared more.

You can also take a look at this post from +martin shervington :
https://plus.google.com/u/0/114918475211209783081/posts/aXxJBdsn3aH
If you read those two links, and "combine it" , and if you make sure to post posts, and share your circles public sometimes with the used hashtag(s) included, you can also have a sort of a "closed group discussion".

But at the same time people can find you by searching, and  join your  discussions, and maybe be added to your circles as well...
In that way you can filter your stream, extend your circles and get to know more people which share your interests/passions, 

But of course...
It is all about your intention for using G+ and circles..

And it may also be a challenge to use a common #  for everybody, and to remember to post public sometimes....

For more useful G+ tips, I reccomend you also to circle and follow +Google+ Help (Unofficial) 
:O)

H/t:
+Mark Traphagen 
+martin shervington 

RESHARE:
Have you already played with the Photo Editor on Google+?

How to edit your photos right here on the Plus side!

More about editing your images in Picasa:
http://support.google.com/picasa/bin/topic.py?hl=en&topic=1689864&parent=1689803&ctx=topic

Lets have #photo  fun!

#Plushelp  

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Excellent, unique feature for Google+ to lure people away from other platforms!

10 quick ways to make your photos stand out

Google+ has a free, great and easy to use Photo Editor.

It took me about 25 minutes to process all these 10 images from the original photo of a thistle.

Quick how-to for beginners

Choose an image either from your computer or your albums / photos. Copy it to a new album if you wish.

- Click on the image to open it up in the Lightroom view (single image view)
- Click on Edit Photo (top left)

- Choose from different ways of enhancing your image but if you wish to save your original as it is, save the edited images as copies, do not replace.

Auto Fix will just improve the picture a bit.  
On the Basic edits you can also rotate the pic, flip it around, crop it, sharpen or resize and more.

Click on the Effects and you will see a frog pic which shows what kind of editing tool is in question.  You can experiment by clicking on the frog without saving the image.  There is also a possibility to edit these basic effects.

With Decorate you can add speech bubbles, party hats, mustaches or funny faces and many more fun things.

Using the Text you can make your own aphorisms or write on a speech bubble, sign your own photos or make your own memes.  Good selection of fonts and colours.

#Jaanatip     #Photography   #Photographytips   #floralfriday  

Here is my thistle shot with Canon G12 and the edited variations:

Enjoy your Friday, everyone! :-)

Image by +Thomas Morffew 

RESHARE:
Here is a nice new visual tool:  It only picks up your own public posts and no re-shares.

See your posts Pinterest style

Thank you for sharing +Paul Stickland and for making this possible, +Jari Huomo!

You have your own, unique Google+ ID in the web address of your profile page. Copy the number series and replace it here on this web address and you can see your posts, too.

#Plushelp  

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+Jari Huomo is a very clever guy!
So what's new you say?
Check out his latest bit of genius... flowing Pinterest style presentation of your most popular posts, with variable widths! Not just googles max image widths, you choose!
Check it out: http://www.googleplussuomi.com/thumbs.php?id=117245054937343378617&width=300 
Put in your own id and choose your width.
Works a treat on your mobile too! Cheers Jari!

RESHARE:
Well! :-)

Reshared text:
If you hear yourself snore while you meditate...

... your meditation is too deep! #justhappened

Have you found your place on Google+?

I don’t know the key to success,
but the key to failure is trying to please everyone
- Bill Cosby

The words from Bill Cosby are my guideline: Be yourself!

Post what you like, engage in topics you enjoy.
Don't try to be something you're not.

 How to succeed in getting more followers?

Post your own stuff, comment, +1 and interact.

It just takes time, effort and perseverance. And posting in public. 
Find your niche and be yourself, that's my advice.

Enjoy the Google+ ride!

RESHARE:
Are you getting lots of mails from Google+?


have you recently created your Google+ account or do you get lots of unwanted mails from Google+?
Please check +Amanda Blain 's post below to get tips on how to handle your emails.


#googleplushelp    / +Hakan Gül 

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*Very First Thing You Should Do On G+*

Before you change your photo, make a public post or add stuff to your about section..... Go here ---> https://www.google.com/settings/plus

This is your G+ Account area. You will likely want to turn off the email function OR set up a Gmail filter. Otherwise each and every time someone comments on your posts, you are mentioned by someone or you comment on someone elses post on G+ you will get an email.

No one on G+ is emailing you  -- You just need to update your settings.

Take a few moments right now and go check your checkboxes to make sure you are setup in the way you prefer.

#googletips   #plushelp #gplustips  

How to save posts as bookmarks on Google+

First go to 'Circles' page.  Create an empty circle and name it 'Bookmarks' or 'Later'. Save it and it'll be found as the last circle in the circles table.

Grab the bookmarks circle with your mouse and move it to the first place. Now it's always the first circle on top, easy for you to click it when sharing something to it, and therefore it also shows on top of the Home page.

Now when you find an interesting post that you want to read or share later, you just share it to the 'bookmarks' circle.  No-one else will see these posts but you.

If you want to share a post from there, it's possible to re-share it but maximum to 'Extended Circles'.
If you'd like to re-share the original post in public, click the word post at the top of the original one: for instance Paul Stickland originally shared this post

Where can I find the 'bookmark' circle?

Go the 'Home' page, look at the top: There is the drop down menu for all your circles. Click open the bookmark circle and there they are, ready for you to read, delete or reshare.  

#Plushelp   #Jaanatip  

RESHARE:
Just starting to use Google+?

Basics:  How to post on Google+, for beginners

Have friends who are newcomers?  This is a very good post by +Billy Wilson, even to be shared outside Google+.

Here is the permalink for the post:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/105706178492556563330/posts/CfwRYuaJxxP

#Plushelp  

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How to Make a Post

Many people new to Google+ don't know exactly what to do. Last week I outlined how interact on a post that you would normally find in your stream: http://goo.gl/vbMvR So in this post I'm going to walk you through how to make a post of your own. Sharing a few posts publicly on G+ is a good idea so when people come across your profile it will appear to be in use and they can get a sense of who you are and what you are into. This will increase the likelihood of making connections on G+. I have different areas highlighted to help you through this guide in the screenshot below.

* Part A: Where to Start *
1. Where to Click First: Here I indicated the two main places you can click to make a post. Clicking the option on the upper bar will open up a box as shown in the screenshot below. Clicking either option will open a similar box, just in a different location on your screen.

* Part B: Adding Content * - 4 different types of content.
2. Adding Photos: Clicking #2 will give you four options; "Add photos", "Create an album", "From Instant Upload", and "Take a photo". If you click "Add photos" you can search your hard drive for images to upload, creating an album will give you a box to upload multiple photos to a single album, by clicking "From Instant Upload" you can upload from your phone, and you can also choose to take a photo of yourself with your webcam by selecting "Take a photo".

3. Adding Video: Clicking #3 will also give you four options; "Upload a video", "Youtube", "From Instant Upload", and "Record Video". Clicking "Upload a video" will give you a box to search your hard drive for videos, clicking "Youtube" will bring up a box where you can search Youtube for videos to share, clicking "From Instant Upload" will allow you to upload from your phone, and "Record video" will allow you to record yourself right now with your webcam.

4. Making an Event: By clicking this a box to fill out will appear. There are couple types of events, but some of the basic stuff to fill out is the event name, date and time, locations, and details. The different types of events can be found under "Event Options" and selecting "Advanced". Here you can select "Google+ Hangout", "Make this an event on air", and "Show additional fields". Making it a G+ hangout means it's an event for a normal hangout, making it an event on air means that the public can watch the photos posted to the event, but only people invited to the event can post pictures to it. This option has nothing to do with hangouts. Selecting "Show additional fields" gives you the option to add a few more things to the event including a video player, parking info, transit info, etc.

5. Adding a Link: Clicking #5 will give you a small box to post your link into and beside the box is a button that says "Add" click it once the link is posted in the box.

* Part C: Posting *
6. Cancel: This closes the post dialogue, it's always present when making a post. Click this if you don't want to make the post.

7. Who to Share the Post With: This is one of the most important parts of your post. G+ allows you to share content with who you want. Clicking here will allow you to type in names or circles and give you a drop down showing "Your circles", "Public", and "Extended circles", along with a few other options. "Your circles" means everyone in your circles, "Public" means the entire world, "Extended circles" is the same as "Friends of friends" so people in the circles of the people you have circled will be able to see the content. Sharing some stuff publicly is a good idea so people can have an idea of who you are and that you are active on G+, this will increase the likelihood of making connections on G+.

8. Share: Click this when you are ready to share the post.

#Google #Help  

RESHARE:
Via +the g+ resource 

We have subscribed and recommend this!

#evang+

Reshared text:
(Sat11) Want to help spread the good news about Google+? Are you a Google+ evangelist? 

I've started a mail list for us. Sign up here: http://eepurl.com/n1auX 

Please share this post!

What are the optimal image sizes for different Social Media platforms?

Wonder no more!

In the past, you’ve been able to find that information by doing a Google search for each individual site, but today I have all this image sizing information for all the big sites combined into two infographics for your viewing pleasure.

Google+ is minimum 940 x 180 for the banner and 250 x 250 for the profile picture

See the infographic:
http://www.bitrebels.com/social/the-ultimate-social-media-image-sizing-guide-2-infographics/

From +Ali Adelstein;
With an aspect ratio of 4:3 you will have no black bars and an optimal space allocation. The resolution of 497x373 is way to small and will be upscaled on all smart phones and tablets with a high resolution display. 800 x 600 should be minimum, better is 1600 x 1200 ....

More tips and tricks about image editing:

https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/109164280656499025716/109164280656499025716/posts/jTcX8FQVPqt

#Plushelp  

This sounds like fun:

Hangout from Gmail!

Face-to-face video chat with friends or business contacts.

#Jaanatip  

RESHARE:
THIS! :-)

Reshared text:
Google+ Manifesto

Original text: +David Shellabarger 

+Google+ Help (Unofficial) 

RESHARE:
(Shared using #DoShare)

Reshared text:
This is a really great article about Google+ and the difference between G+ and Facebook. +The Next Web 

Would you like to get more information about Google+ and Google?

Here is a nice Google+ Help webmag!

You can subscribe and get all the new posted articles in your email if you like to get the news that way. Or just bookmark it and take a look every now & then.

How to bookmark in Google+:
https://plus.google.com/109164280656499025716/posts/Ke6mhVG3enw

#Jaanatip   #Plushelp  

RESHARE:
(Shared using #DoShare)

Reshared text:
Google+ is stepping up the game. The obvious integration with Blogger has arrived. #googleplustips   #googleplusupdate  

RESHARE:
Hello there new Google+ users!

Here is a very nice Circle for you, full of helpful people and informative Pages

Add all or just choose some of them:  This bunch will bring lots of good infomation and fun stuff in your stream!

#Plushelp  

Reshared text:
Welcome all newcomers!

Knowledgeable people and Pages

These folks have been around for a while and know many things about the Google+ from different aspects.

Circle by clicking on the 'Add circle' tab and name the circle how you like. Or just click open the circle from the blue 'View' box, delete those you don't want by clicking on a small x in the profile's right hand corner and save the rest. 

You can also add these people to an existing circle: Start typing a circle name and you get suggestions, click one of those and save.

Here is the circle for closer inspection on CircleCount.com:
http://www.circlecount.com/sharedcircle/?id=z13udxuowr3dvvjql04cd1ea5yric3njxj0

Enjoy your Google+ experience! :-)

#Jaanatip   #Googleplushelp     #Google+ #EvanG+

This is what we do on Google+:

Engage!

Great image from +Dane Findley 

UPDATED!

More about drafts and sharing for later:

There are some easy ways to bookmark posts to be read later:

NEW: Now you can give an 'external' +1 to a Google+ post, but only to those made by Profiles. Doesn't seem to work with Pages yet.
Here's a Chrome extension for giving +1:s and storing them to your profile's +1 tab:
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/jgoepmocgafhnchmokaimcmlojpnlkhp
You can make the tab public or keep everything to yourself. Click on EDIT while you are on the +1 page and modify.

You can also use your browser’s bookmarking capability. The link you want to bookmark is the link in the ‘time stamp’ at the top of the post. With some browsers you right-click on the time stamp to save it as a bookmark or favorite. For other browsers, you can drag the time stamp link to your bookmark bar.

Another way is to create an empty circle named ‘Later’ or ‘Bookmarks’. Whenever you come to a post you want to save, click the share button and share it to your bookmarks circle: It will show in your own profile stream, but not in anyone else’s. Afterwards you can look at that circle to read the post. You cannot save the later comments this way, unfortunately, unless you make a wholly new post and save the original as a link to it, then share it with yourself.

Here is how-to for beginners:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/109164280656499025716/109164280656499025716/posts/Ke6mhVG3enw

What I often do when I want to re-share something but not immediately: I open that post in a new tab or window by clicking the publishing time stamp with my mouse’s wheel, that way it opens up in a new window but you don’t lose your place in the stream – (if you just left-click the time it takes you to the post directly in the same window). Having the window open in my browser I then remember to read or share the post later and it’s not lost and forgotten, swept away by the torrent. 
Another good point doing this is, the stream doesn't jump when you want to take your time deciding with whom to share. Or if you'd like to follow the incoming comments in some post, keep it open in a separate tab and just refresh it every now and then.

Clicking the time stamp:

When you click at the time stamp the post is opened in a new window (mouse wheel click) or in the same window (left click). With the right click you get choices to save the link in a new tab or new window, save the link or copy it.

If you click at the grey arrow on the post's right, choose 'link to this post'. Then either copy the link displayed or click 'GO' and it opens up in a new window.

Drafts

You can also use a ‘Drafts’ circle which is devoid of people, for saving good links or your own tentative posts that you might like to edit. This has just one minus point, when you want to re-share straight from that circle, it’s maximum to ‘Extended Circles’… With your own content you might want to update, you can just copy your draft post and just publish it as a new one, maybe linking the original share from it's time stamp URL.

If you copy the draft text in 'EDIT' mode, you get all the formatting in your new post, just redo the +mentions again.

I actually have a 'Later' circle for other people's posts and links I might want to share later, and 'Drafts' for my own posts that I am in the process of writing.

DoShare by +Tzafrir Rehan  is a very nice tool:  You can schedule your posts and also make drafts. It only works when Chrome is on, though.
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/oglhhmnmdocfhmhlekfdecokagmbchnf


Using Evernote to save stuff from Google+:

A nice 'How-to' video:
Use Evernote to save your Google Plus Posts
And more about Evernote:
http://www.scoop.it/t/sosiaalinen-media/p/974577787/the-complete-guide-to-evernote-probably-the-best-way-to-take-notes

Bookmarking on Mobile

If you don't want to lose a post you were reading on your mobile device with the Google+ app (on iPhone, iPad or Android) , an easy way to keep a memory is to screenshot the post.

Even if this is not exactly a bookmark, it allows you to find back the post later via looking up the author's profile.

Screenshoting on iOS devices is performed by clicking together the [Power] and [Home] button; on Android this may vary depending on your device, please check the manual.

(Thanks for the mobile advice, +Claude Rieth )

Anything you'd like to add?

#Plushelp  

Do you use Google+ with a mobile phone?

Go Mobile with Google+

Here are some helpful links:

Official Google mobile blog:
http://googlemobile.blogspot.fi/

Mobile use advice from Google:
http://support.google.com/plus/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=1301219&topic=2402050&ctx=topic

Get Google+ for your mobile device:
http://www.google.com/mobile/+/

Mobile support forums:

http://support.google.com/mobile/?hl=en

http://www.google.co.in/intl/en/mobile/

http://productforums.google.com/forum/#!forum/mobile

https://twitter.com/googlemobile/

Android users:

Communities for Android:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/s/Android/communities

For people using tablets or iPads:

https://plus.google.com/109164280656499025716/posts/9q9FEa1QWFd

iPad Communities:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/s/iPad/communities

iPhones:

Cult of Mac Community:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/communities/115732139854478597898

iPhone Communities:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/s/iPhone/communities

Do you know any more links that might help the users to get the most out of their device and Google+?

#Plushelp  

This is a very lovely post from the also lovely +Susanne Ramharter:

She speaks words of wisdom for all newcomers to Google+!

Read on:

How to Tread Lightly on Google+ #1

After more than a year on Google+, close to 1000 posts and countless +1's both given and received, I have somehow managed to acquire a fantastic stream, full of wonderful and engaged people, more people who follow me than I ever imagined possible and almost no trolls; I can only say that I really love this place.

In passing I see many complaints about lack of interaction, no-one in circles, trolls, ghost-town etc. To be honest, that is the exact opposite of my experience. Now, not all posts or interactions are only smiles and kisses, there are sometimes discussions that are controversial, or people who grate on your nerves. But, on the whole, I think there are things that you can do that set a tone for your own interactions and thus influence the reactions/interactions you will have.

Tread Lightly!  That means some easy guidelines:

1. Don't hog credit:
If you reshare a post that for instance +Joe Schmoe has already reshared, for heaven's sake give credit! Say "thanks to +Joe Schmoe" or "h/t: +Joe Schmoe", you will not only still get the applause but extra credit with Joe Schmoe, who would otherwise think you a boor.

2. Say Thank You:
If someone reshares a post, it is polite to at least give the share a +1, if you are feeling really nice then add a comment with thanks. If someone has you in a circle that is shared, it is only polite to drop in on that post and thank them for including you in the circle. BTW: you can find which circles you were shared in on the great CircleCount site, check their page here: +CircleCount

3. Be generous with those +1's:  
My average is about 56 +1's that I give each day. That is +1 on comments, posts, and/or photos. +1 doesn't have to mean you love it to pieces, it can just be an acknowledgement that you have seen it. I sometimes come across profiles with many interesting posts and barely any +1's - no wonder such a person is frustrated!  There is no Ghost Town unless we make it so.

Here is how to measure your engagement on Google+:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/107742059751171695340/posts/3gpMXkkC5WF

4. Europeans / Americans have a different way of talking with (relative) strangers:
So you Gentlemen from non-European or non-AngloSaxon areas: Please do not call ladies you don't really know "dear" and you don't write that you love them or that they are hot, in comments. That will get you blocked very quickly. 

5. Don't hijack posts:  
This is best explained by an example: if someone posts a picture for #caturday with a litter of, say 6 kittens, do not use this as a jumping off point to start nagging about how awful and unnatural certain kinds of pet foods are and the horrors involved in it's creation. Or that dogs are better than cats. That may all be true, but this is not your post!  If you want to write about the abomination of the pet food industry or dogs, then make your own post! 

Try it, you may find that people respond well, so have fun, tread lightly and                                 Engage


Thank you +Susanne Ramharter for these words:  
May all of us take these to heart and learn more about interacting in a nice manner and keep the Circleverse alive & clean! :-)

But remember, if you don't agree, there is no must on Google+.
Pass on.

#Plushelp  

Do you have problems in Circle Management? :-)

Here are some suggestions for your Circle names

If you want more #Plushelp  with nice people to circle, add this:
https://plus.google.com/109164280656499025716/posts/aq249EF5GLv

Hollering to all Google+ parents and grandparents:

Connect with kids on Google+

Great ideas, take a look! :-)  Start a Hangout and let your children interact with the family.

#kidsactivities   #children  

Here's a reminder of the image sizes on Google+:

On posts the best minimum is 800 x 600 pixels or 4:3 ratio
On the profile cover from the minimum of 480 x 270 to 2120 x 1192
On the profile avatar or square picture 250 x 250 pixels

Here are the new sizes:
http://googleplushelper.blogspot.fi/2013/03/google-updated-profile-upgrade.html

The images on posts can be smaller or bigger too.  The  size shown up on mobile devices and desktops varies, small pictures may appear with the black bars around them.

(The smallest image without the grey bars appearing can be 497 x 100 pixels and the size that just fits the photo share box is 497 x 373 pixels.)

These sizes may not be the best when Google+ is used on a mobile app.  Android devices show square images in full.

More about image editing:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/109164280656499025716/109164280656499025716/posts/jTcX8FQVPqt

#Plushelp    

Don't just dump a link in your post!

Link sharing

When sharing a link, use the ‘link box’. It makes the post look much nicer, without the URL showing in the text. 

Many times there is a choice of pictures to be displayed, so just toggle the small arrows on top of the picture to change it.

If the link does not come out nicely, doesn’t have a picture, for instance; then you can download a picture which catches the attention and just add the link inside  the text, maybe in the end with a 'Read more' suggestion.

It's nice to write a few words why you are sharing the link: Maybe copy part of the text and use a snappy headline.

Editing already published posts is now possible: Changing links to pictures or the other way round.

#Plushelp  

RESHARE:
Attention iPaddies and Tablet users!

Thanks to +Marc Jansen, we've got some good news

Full access to your PC and Google+...

#iPad   #Plushelp   #Tablet  

Reshared text:
This is the perfect solution to all of the shortcomings of the G+ apps

Simply install the client on your PC and the remote app on the iPad, and you'll then have full access to your PC,  including that most important of features - access to the full desktop version  of G+ at your fingertips!

How to change your contact settings:

Who can contact you on Google+

Go to your 'About' page, click on EDIT. 
Over your Tagline and Introduction there is a box Change contact settings.
There you can modify the visibility and who can contact you via email and send you a message from a link on your profile.

#Plushelp  

New to Google+?

Some nice tips to get started

Whether or not you think Google+ is just a Facebook clone or doubt that any of your friends is actually using it, the fact remains that Google is shaping the future of the Internet.

As companies, news agencies, brands and celebrities slowly jump on the bandwagon, so too will the users, so if you don’t want to be left standing in the digital dust, it's worth exploring how to create your online presence in Google+.

#Plushelp  

RESHARE:
Here is a very nice, though long post from +Johan Horak:

It takes two to Tango!

For newcomers and old hands alike, well worth a read.

Reshared text:
7 Simple Ideas To Get A Google+ Tango And More Circle Inclusions

They say it takes two to tango. That makes a lot of sense. Here at Google+ you need more than two to tango.

 *But you have to get off your bum and ask plussers to tango with you.* 

I just read a nice post by someone who is in only 159 peoples circles. I was the only one how left a comment on his post. He name tagged me. 

His story should be read by more people. But he needs to do a lot more Plussing work. I don't feel sorry for the guy. If I did I would share a link to his posts. ;-)

*We all start at ZERO!* 

But when you are at zero Google+ can be a lonely place.

 That's where you have to get up and ask people for the dance.

Here are a few ideas that I have picked up over time and from other plussers that will increase the number of people who circle you:

1) Set yourself a goal. You want to increase the number of people who circle you from zero to a 600 in month one. From 500 to a 1400 in month two. Play around with the numbers. 

You obviously get more people when you have more people. At 600 you need 20 per day. Now you can start working on it. 

Plot your success on a graph. And use +CircleCount and their Chrome extension  http://goo.gl/28YRT

2) When you publish a story on a topic use Google+ search to find other people who posted on the same issue and leave an engaging comment at the post. 

It's not appropriate to leave a link to your post. 

When you have commented a few times on the same post then you may feel more comfortable sharing a link to your post.

The idea to find these publishers with common interests is that they will come and check out your about page and your last post. And they may like it and circle you.

3) Write a post your topic and search for other post on the topic. Quote the people and +nametag them. They will like it and may even share your post. 

But again: Never abuse name tagging people. Tag them when you quote them. 

4) I have mentioned commenting. But as a general remark i want to add that many plussers have shared how leaving great comments is one of the fasted ways to to get people to circle you. Obviously you have to leave great comments.

5) Share other people's posts. It's important, again, to use search for your topics and then share relevant posts. When you share that post, please, add your own view on the post and thank the person who wrote the post and the person who share the post - if applicable.

 6) You can also get people to circle you when you write engaging posts that get shared. This is not as easy as it seems.

 But go and watch what highly successful plussers like +Jaana Nyström, +Amanda Blain, and +Mike Elgan do.

 See if you can find their formula and duplicate it. Not copy what they do. Just apply their formula. 


7) Some people will tell you that it's not worth your while to ride the coat tails of influencers. I think they make a mistake.

 Influencers can make your life a lot easier than what you think. But you need to become a valuable resource to them.

 Some time ago I wrote a riff *14 Ways To Learn How To Helpfully Ride The Coattails Of Google+ influencers*. http://goo.gl/uGsGQ

What other great Plussers have shared on making new friends:

1)  Go and have a look at +Ellie Kennard's post http://goo.gl/hfSxi Attention New Members or Those Whose Experience Here is Less Than Satisfying So Far

2)  +Chris Brogan published this post December 2011. Get More People to Circle You on Google+ http://goo.gl/eVfdJ. 

3) My Google+ Help Posts For Beginners. +Billy Wilson  wrote a great post with many great ideas here http://goo.gl/ZVRq6

4) 8 Ways to get circled by +Michael Delgado via +circled.us  http://goo.gl/KAM3d

5) And if you crave for more information have a look at this post by +Melody Lynn  Google+ 101 a.k.a. The MothaLode o' Google+ Info & Resources for Goobies http://goo.gl/EMvHD

Image credit http://goo.gl/5AbeM

This is just...
Friday fun! :-)

Have a nice weekend all!

RESHARE:

The number of people you can notify in one post has changed again:

Back to maximum100 profiles or pages can be notified at once

Google is improving the privacy part of Google+, this connects with the new settings on your profile, too.
See this post:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/109164280656499025716/posts/ZmNiQaLyKNi

#Plushelp  

Reshared text:
Sharing and Notifying

Now here’s a hot potato of a subject! When you share something, please don’t notify anyone unless you know them personally and are sure that they don’t mind. 

How to do it: When you share a post with a circle, you can also hover your cursor over the circle name and check a box to notify the members of that circle about your post.  They get a notification in the little red box and an email about it. It's basically the same thing that happens if you individually +-mention someone, but to a larger audience.

UPDATE:
The total number of users in a circle or individually you can notify is 50. 

Remember however, if you notify users about things that: 

1) aren't all that relevant or interesting to them
2) are seemingly every post you write
3) are about whatever, but they aren't following you back
4) are your family etc photos (same goes for tagging people!)

Could I kindly suggest that you are actually spamming them, and you are heading for a blocking.  You might ask who in your circles would like to receive notifications of your posts.

Many of you have asked about how to control who can send you notifications, so Google has already rolled out an option in Google+ settings: “Who can notify you.” They really do their thing well, don’t they, and always listen to us!

You can update your settings here: https://plus.google.com/settings/plus

Image by the courtesy of +Michelle Marie who has a thing or two to say about notification spam! :-)

Good morning / afternoon / night dear Circleverse!

How is your Saturday coming along?

Is there something about Google+ that has nothing to do with technical side or mobile devices, that you would like to know? :-)

We try to help you.
In the meantime, you can take a look at our posts here in a website form:

http://www.googleplussuomi.com/timelinetest.php?googleid=109164280656499025716&sort=oldest

Here is an earlier post with lots of questions and answers: Take a look at the comments!
https://plus.google.com/109164280656499025716/posts/F1kL9cVPEEB