Google+ Project: A Whole New Social Networking Experience
The Google +1 button has been one of the most discussed topics on our blog for the first part of 2011. Indeed, we have followed its journey from being a mere addition to the standard SERPS up to the point where it finally became available on websites. But little did we know that this new feature was just a precursor of something greater. Recently Google confirmed what has long been whispered in the SEO world. It unveiled the Google+ Project, which is aimed at bringing a brand new type of social experience to users on the Web. Interested? Here is a peek at some of the services this new tool has to offer.
+Circles. We go through life and create relationships with people at various degrees. That being said, there are ideas and interests that we only share with certain social groups. The +Circles feature is all about maintaining that level of privacy. It seeks to provide a remedy to making every online conversation a “public performance” and does so by limiting the content you share only to those who matter.
+Hangouts. Of all its new offerings, +Hangouts would probably be the one that takes the top prize. Simply put, it brings the concept of hanging out with real life friends and family online – complete with camera and microphone functionality.
+Huddle. There are and will always be an activity or two that you engage in only with a select group of people. Whether it is a 3D photography exhibit or Greek food, you are bound to need a convenient way to schedule meet-ups. The +Huddle option makes this possible with just a few easy clicks.
+Sparks. More often than not, we are friends with people because they share OUR interests. This is the very concept behind +Sparks. Functioning pretty much like an RSS feed, it allows users to share hobbies and geeky interests with a specific groups from +Circles.
+Mobile. With so many sites and software being tweaked for mobile phone compatibility, the Google+ Project has also been outfitted to be a great tool beyond the standard desktop. This means that you can snap an image and upload it in an instant using your cell phone.
Other +s. Though the system might be ‘invitation-only’ for now, those who have had the chance to try it out already see great potential in the product. For one, it is already closely integrated with useful Google acquisitions such as Picassa, allowing the functionality of the latter to be available on Google+. However, there has been no evidence that the integration has already extended to such staples as Gmail and Gdocs. When that happens, this new project would certainly a force to reckon with.
Have you tried Google+? Share your comments about it with us. For more information, click here:
http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2011/06/introducing-google-project-real-life.html
