Google+ has just celebrated it’s first birthday. It now boasts 250 million users, which although only a quarter of that of Facebook (which recently exceeded 900 million), is still a considerable number in such a short time. So what’s it all about? Well Google describe Google+ as a social layer that spans across many of its other properties. The Google +1 button allows users to recommend content on Google Search and then share this through Google+. When the Google +1 button is clicked it is seen as a sign of public approval. You like this content and want to share it with others. Users can also go on to add a comment and choose to share the content with everyone (public) or to chosen circles (connections) within their Google+ page.

Circles 

Within Google+ you can create Circles of connections. What this means is that you can choose how to group your connections. So for example you may want to organise your connections into different groups such as:

• Friends
• Family
• Reading Group
• New sites

You may have some connections that belong to more than one group. By creating a Circle you choose what you want to name it and then simple drag the names of the connections you want to add to this group in to it. You repeat the process every time you want to create a new Circle.

This then allows you to share content with specific Circles so that only those connections see the information. You can share to one or many Circles or choose to share to the Public. Also it helps to organise the way you view content within Google+. You can the ‘zoom in’ to view the content shared by one specific circle if you wish.

Hangouts

This is an excellent feature and enables you to video chat (similar to Skype) with other Google+ users. You can hangout with up to 9 others and talk to each other. Within Hangouts is also the opportunity to use the type type chat facility, to share your desktop and Youtube videos.  As well as for individual use Business users and Celebrities have created hangouts.

Another feature is Hangouts on Air where you can broadcast live. This is linked to Youtube and then recorded so it can also be watched later. The video below explains this in more detail.

More

You can find more information on the Google+ tab in this blog.