Category Archives: Google+
Get creative with Google+ Hangouts
Continuing with the theme of Google tools and techniques for non profit social media marketing, check out these tips from Social Media Examiner on how to use the recently updated Google+ Hangout features more creatively.
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Increase your productivity with these Google tools
Are you familiar with Google Apps? Did you know that it is a popular communication and collaboration platform for nonprofits? You may well use Gmail - the most-used part of Google Apps. But there is a lot more that you can do to make Gmail even better. This Nonprofits Webinar will show you how to make use of third-party tools and techniques to increase your productivity.
How to leverage yourself as an expert with social media (infographic)
The business consultant network Zintro pulled research from more than a dozen sources including Mashable, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google and Quantcast to put together this infographic, which will help you figure out which social network is best suited to your social media strategy.
Although a lot of this information may not be new to you, I love the at-a-glance way of seeing the different ways in which social media platforms function. I also see it as a great presentation tool to introduce new clients to the wonderful world of social media.
Should you post the same content across multiple platforms?
Doesn’t it get slightly wearisome when you end up reading the same content posted in the same way in multiple places? Do you find that your eyes start to glaze over and you end up feeling like you are being broadcast at?
If you are like me, you may follow the same core group of people across multiple social networking platforms which is great for consolidating online relationships, but can also mean that you are subject to status overkill. I understand why people do this. It saves time and spreads your message to a wider audience, but it is impersonal and may even turn people off.
Mashable’s Pete Cashmore raised this question of multiple platform broadcasting on Google+ during the week: 
What’s the solution?
- Tweak your updates and tailor them for each platform you post to. Don’t tell us what you ate for breakfast on your LinkedIN page if it’s more appropriate to a Twitter update (although on that point, do we really need to know what you had for breakfast?).
- Get creative. I post links to my latest blog posts on multiple platforms but I pick a different way to introduce that link each time. If the post is in the form of a question, then I turn it into a statement, and vice versa. I also use different headings from within the body of the post or perhaps a snippet of a reader’s comment.
What do you think? Is posting the same message across multiple platforms a good time-saving idea or are you tired of reading the same thing over again? Have you any other ideas of how to be creative when you post your content?
Related Post: Facebook vs Twitter – How Smart Marketers Use Both Differently
How to brand yourself on Google+
As I get more and more sucked in to Google+ you will be seeing more posts about how to leverage its potential for non-profits. And yes, I am loving its newness and freshness right now.
As I wrote in a previous post, in its present incarnation, it is not designed for business pages (but they are coming). Instead of thinking that this means it is not a place to take your brand, read what Chris Brogan has to say on the subject:
It’s funny how many people are lamenting the temporary shutdown of brands on Google+. Meanwhile, I’m seeing lots of smart business people connecting with people, making relationships, sharing a mix of personal and business materials, and building relationships that will transcend the vagueness of following an official stream.
Business is about humans connecting with humans. This new platform is the top shelf of potential for doing a great job of doing that. Keep doing what you’re doing as a brand of one, and just be sure your ABOUT page represents your organization well.
Great advice for non-profits! So in the words of Chris again:
Go forth. Be the brand. Just be you as the brand!
Related Post:
What’s your brand personality?
Google+ revisited
Since I wrote here about Google+ two weeks ago, I’ve read acres of online column space about its potential and yes, I have given in and joined it. It is still in beta phase, so if you want to try it, you’ll need an invite (e-mail me directly with your Gmail address and I’ll send an invite to you).
So what do I think so far?
I like it. I like it mainly for the reason that right now I am connected to a limited number of friends and am enjoying the uncluttered space to read their updates. I am only using it in a limited capacity for now – creating “circles” of friends, but I do certainly see potential in the “hangouts” for the future.
So far, so personal – but how does this apply to non-profit marketing?
At present Google+ does not have a facility for a business to create a profile but there are plans to facilitate profile pages in the future, and to this end Google is preparing to run a beta test, with a select group of partners, so watch this space.
