Lots of us have become enthusiastic users of social networks in recent years. In fact, it’s become difficult to remember what we did to organise our social life and keep up with friends before such services were available.
The latest social network keen to grab our attention is Google+, which takes elements from the social networks we already know and love and wraps them up in a fresh package with some new features.
To get involved, you simply need a Google account. Once you’ve signed in, click on the +You tab and follow the on-screen instructions to register.
We’re going to introduce you to a few of the features of Google+ so you know what to expect when the service gets snapped up by the masses.
What are circles?
In Google+, you organise your friends into circles, based on how you interact with them in real life.
It means you can create circles for your family, your work colleagues, your rugby team or mates you share an interest with. It also works well when you’re organising an event, as everyone involved can be grouped into a circle for the occasion.
The point of having circles is making sure you share the right things with the right people.
So, when you want to post something that’s only relevant to your rugby club, you choose to make it available only to everyone in this circle.
What’s Messenger?
Messenger is a great alternative to group text messages. It allows you to pick a group of friends who have a common interest or goal and open up a single group chat where everyone can have their say and a plan can be discussed and decided.
Using the rugby team example, Messenger would work really well if a team were trying to arrange transport to a match. Anyone offering or stuck for a lift could get involved with the chat and, by the end of it, it would be clear how everyone was getting to the game.
Instant Upload – for sharing things on the go
Sharing photos is a massive part of social networking and often we want to share our images as soon as possible. Finding the time to upload pictures has prevented many of us from sharing as quickly as we’d like to.
This isn’t a problem with Google+. The photos you take on your phone are automatically stored in your Google+ account. Then it’s up to you whether you want to share them – and which circles you want to share them with.
So, going back to the rugby team, if you have some pictures of big matches and even bigger nights out from a tour, you can share them at a touch of the button with everyone in your rugby team circle.
What’s more, if you’re careful with your sharing, you never have to worry about the boss seeing photos of you in potentially embarrassing situations.
