The functionality and use of Google+ as a business communication tool, as well as its linkage to other areas of Google, make it a must-have tool for your training and development toolkit.
What it is
Google+ allows you to promote yourself and your company's offerings using the Google platform. With more than 165 million unique visitors each month, and 25,000 new users added every day, companies and professionals should take notice.
By setting up your profile via a Google+ business page, you provide your organization with a way to connect with potential and existing customers, develop your branding, and further engage clients, colleagues, and learning participants.
Why it works
With 97 percent of consumers searching for local businesses online, Google+ increases your visibility on the web, connecting you with end users. A local Google+ page helps clients locate you using Google Maps, and provides driving directions, operating hours, phone number, and the Google+ page for content-whether they are using a smartphone, tablet, or computer.
Additionally, a Google+ business page helps organizations build brand loyalty and name recognition. When clients interact with your organization, they can evaluate and share reviews of your product or services. Google+ allows them to use the '+1' button to share your posts or 'like' your content, which will increase your visibility.
Ways that training and development professionals can use Google+ include
sharing images, audio, video, and other content related to training activities participating in online field trips (connected classrooms feature) and interacting with guest speakers (Hangout) conducting office hours, question-and-answer sessions, and live tutorials posting your own training videos communicating and collaborating on group projects. Guidelines
Because Google+ is part of the Google enterprise (Earth, +, Search, Glass, Ads, YouTube), users benefit from its functionality and tie-in to other Google content.
Content. The '+1' feature helps you spread the word about valuable content. If you read something useful, comment on the post and share the information. When you post on your Google+ page, your website, or blog, encourage others to +1 your post to their network. This will enable them to add comments, share within specific circles, and post to Google+ without leaving your website.
Use Google+ to find the latest information for a training session, presentation, or whitepaper. Google+ allows you to tailor your search to Google+ posts, Google+ people, communities, and trending topics.
Hashtags help end users locate your content. When you click on a hashtag, related posts can be accessed. Gray hashtags were designated by the author, while those that are blue were added by Google. Hashtags you use in your posts also can appear at the top of your post as a 'related hashtag.'
Community. Use Google+ to locate and connect with others in training and development. Add experts from the field to a circle. This will enable you to see content they post.
If others post interesting material, comment or share it with your circles. By posting comments that add value to others, you not only will demonstrate your expertise, but also increase your brand's name recognition.
In 'Twitter Basics for HR and Recruiting,' Jessica Miller-Merrell provides a guideline for types and frequencies of posts. She calls it the 'social media mullet': 70 percent business and 30 percent party, which means that 70 percent of your posts should be purely business-related in nature, while up to 30 percent could be fun (for example, inspirational quotes, questions, and humorous-yet-tasteful business videos).
Collaboration. Google+ is a great way to connect with colleagues. Each employee or person in a team can be added to a circle, allowing collaboration on work projects. If you are managing a company page, you can add team members to also contribute.
Hangouts are a valuable tool for virtual meetings. They enable you to share screens, text, video chat, or work on a Google document in real time. In addition, Hangouts can be recorded to listen or watch at a future time.
Use Hangouts to promote new products. Demonstrate it, interview the author or designer, and then open the discussion to the audience for questions and answers.
Finally, Hangouts can be an effective tool for promoting yourself as an expert in the field. Consider hosting open hours for free assistance on Google+.
Communication. One of the benefits of Google+ is targeting your communication to a specific audience. After you've created circles, you can decide where your content is shared-colleagues, existing clients, a work team-which gives messages more impact.
Do you have a new publication or training tool being released? Using Google+ analytics, called Ripples, determine specific influential people. Send them a personal message with a preview of your material, asking them for feedback and to share it with their network. Starting a 'countdown' to release date of a new product can generate excitement.
If you are hosting a face-to-face event, Google+ allows you to create invitations for those in your circles. These events will sync with your Google calendar. Additionally, everyone going to the event can upload and share photos in a folder you create.
You can engage people in your circles using polling. Ask others to contribute ideas or vote as a way to interact. When someone shares your comments or engages in conversation, thank them or give them a 'shout out.'
Results
How do you know whether you are successful in sharing your message? Ripples is a visual that shows how your posts are being shared and how many people your message has reached. This is particularly useful because you can see who is promoting and sharing your message in their networks.
In addition, you also can monitor your business brand by searching for your name, or your company's name. It can be helpful to save the search (use the 'Save this Search' button in the upper right-hand corner of your screen). You can then return to your saved search to evaluate the effectiveness of your posts. If there are many reposts or shares, your message is getting to a wider audience. If you don't have many results in the search, you may want to re-evaluate your content.
Tidak ada komentar :
Posting Komentar