Ultimate Google+ Tips and Tricks

The latest social networking sensation, Google+, has already gained initial appraisals from early users. Although the service is still being served on invitation basis, Google team has recorded incredible response from people across the world.

Just like many other social networking sites, Google+ has its own new options, concepts and features, which may not be known to everyone who uses the internet. So, here’s the ultimate list of tweaks, hacks, tips and tricks for you to enjoy the experience of new social site from Google.

Basic Tips for Google+ Users:

• Posting Updates in Stream

Similar to Facebook, Google+ users can write updates in Stream, which also has options to add photo, video, link and location. Along with these sharing features, you can choose different Circles to share updates with selected group of people, and if a person is not in your Circle, you can send updates through email.

• Editing Options

Most of the popular social networking sites don’t allow users to edit their posts or updates, but now you can do this on Google+ with multiple editing options. Just click on drop down menu and take necessary action -

• Text Formatting

A Google+ user, +Frederic Lardinois, found these text formatting options – (*)bold(*), (_)italics(_) and (-)strike-through(-). Check out the following example.

Note: Don’t use round brackets while formatting the text.

• Adding a New Person

Google+ follows a new approach to add people in your account. Unlike other sites, you just have to type a valid name or email id in text field to bring that person to your Circle.

• Notifications in Google+

When people add you on Google+ or share updates with you, a notification will appear on top right corner. Following screenshot will give you an idea about Google+ notifications -

Your notifications will also be available on all Google services, including Gmail and Google Search, so that you can’t miss any updates from your friends or relatives.

• Photos

Now, you don’t have to create another account on image sharing sites. All your Google+ photos can be stored on Picasa account.

Also, there are several photo editing options available in the Photo gallery and you don’t have to be a designer or photographer to use them. For time being, Google has provided six cool effects for users -

• Some Useful Keyboard Shortcuts

  1. Space – Scroll down the Stream
  2. Shift + Space – Scroll Up Stream
  3. J - Single Post Down Scroll
  4. K – Single Post up Scroll
  5. Q – Jump to Chat
  6. Return/Enter – Start Comment
  7. Return (Enter) + Tab – End Comment
  8. + / @ – Use any of the sign to mention someone in the comment.

• Send Feedback to Google team

This is probably the best feature of Google+. If you find any error or bug in the service, you can directly report it to the team.

Advanced Tips for Google+ Users:

• Private Message on Google+

Although there is no dedicated feature available to send private messages on Google+, users can use following workaround to serve the purpose -

1. Type your message and add the name of person. Click on the Share button.

2. Select Disable Share from drop down menu.

• Invite your Friends on Google+

This trick may or may not work, but still give it a try.

1. Type anything on post field and add email id of the person.
2. Share the update.
3. Now, ask your friend to click on “Learn More About Google+” and it will automatically create Google+ account.

Another method:

Visit this URL – http://plus.google.com/ and click on “Sign In” button.

• Bookmark Posts in Google+

Mari Smith, a Google+ user, has shared this hack on the site. Here’s how you can do it.

Want to bookmark/favorite friends’ posts, or put posts into drafts for later? Super easy:

1. Create an empty circle named drafts (or I named mine *MARI’S BOOKMARKS)
2. Share your drafts with that circle
3. Edit drafts anytime and Share them to circles to publish.

• Integrate Google+ in Bookmarking Services like Instapaper

With advancement in technology, you can read almost any content anytime and anywhere you want. If you don’t want to miss updates from your Google+ friends, read the following steps to incorporate Google+ updates in Instapaper -

[via - Christopher Carfi]

• Browser Integration for Google+

If you’re using Google Chrome browser, install Surplus plugin to integrate Google+ inside the browser. Download Link

Once you install this plugin, Google+ notifications will be displayed beside the address bar of your browser.

• Top 100 Most Popular Google+ Users

In case you want to add popular and inspirational people in your Circle, check the Google+ statistics here.

• Turn Off Circles Sharing

Robbin Millette shared another cool trick to avoid people from looking into the list of people in your Circles.

Head to your profile page at https://plus.google.com/me then click Edit Profile, hit the “In (Your)’s circles” and change “who can see this”.

• Instant Upload

Want to upload photos from your phone to Google+ profile? Download Google+ app and start uploading instantly!

Unfortunately, Android users can only use this feature at the moment, as Google has not added support to other platforms. However, Google will soon release an iPhone app for Google+ users.

• Invite Facebook Friends to Google+

Steps to follow -

1. Open Yahoo! mail account and link it to your Facebook account.
2. Now, import all the contacts to Yahoo! address book.
3. Open Google+ account and select “Find and Invite” from Circles.
4. Click on Yahoo! icon and allow Google+ to import all Facebook contacts.

[via – ZDNet]

• Import Google+ Circles to Facebook

Steps to follow -

1. Sign in to Google Takeout and select “Contacts and Circles”
2. Download the Zip file and extract it on your desktop.
3. Upload the extracted .vcf file to Circles Importer.
4. Once the process is complete, choose an existing list from the auto-complete text box.
5. Click on “Add to list” to end the task.

Done! For more details, read here.

• Upload Facebook Photos to Google+

If you want to share Facebook photos with Google+ friends, follow the simple steps -

1. Request Facebook to send your pictures to the email account. Link
2. Use Googlecl to upload your photos and images to Picasa.
3. That’s it! Use your Picasa pictures to share with Google+ friends.

• Flickr to Picasa

Since Google is offering Picasa service for Google+ users, many users are looking to transfer their Flickr photos to Picasa. Well, it would take hours or days to transfer thousands of photos to another account, but there is a solution available to this problem.

Download Flump, an Adobe Air app, which will allow you to download all the photos from your Flickr account. Upload these photos to your Picasa account.

• Short URL for Google+ Profile

Here’s another cool service, which allows you to have a short URL for Google+ profile – Gplus.to

When you click on Add button, you will get this type of personalized URL – gplus.to/harshad

• Google Plus One Button for Bloggers and Website Owners

With Google+ one button, you can share any blog post or website page with your friends on this site. Copy-paste following code to your website -

<!– Place this tag in your head or just before your close body tag –>
<script type=”text/javascript” src=”https://apis.google.com/js/plusone.js”></script>

<!– Place this tag where you want the +1 button to render –>
<g:plusone></g:plusone>

You can also include advanced options such as specific URL, button size and Language. Head over to this page and get a customized button for your page.

For WordPress users:

If you don’t know how to place above code on your blog, use this Google Plus One Button plugin.

• Google+ SMS Updates

Facebook and Twitter folks are already offering SMS facility to post their updates, pictures, videos etc. on respective sites, which has got great response from mobile phone users. Now, Google+ users can also post quick updates on their new social site via SMS services. This service is officially available in India as well as United States and will hopefully roll out worldwide in upcoming weeks.

How to enable Google+ SMS feature?

1. Head over to Google+ Settings – https://plus.google.com/settings/plus and provide appropriate phone no. along with the country name.
2. Click on the “Send verification code” button.
3. Put your received verification code in the given field.
4. Now, enable notifications and other settings as per your need.

• Google+ Search

Google+ doesn’t have any feature to search old posts or people who have shared similar content on the site. Rich Knight has created a quick search page for those who want more Google+ insights. Try it here.

• Google+ Cards

If you’re using WordPress CMS for your blogs, use this plugin to display your Google+ profile in the sidebar. More details here.

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That’s it for now! We will update this post with more Google+ tricks and hacks.

And oh, if you haven’t joined it yet, do comment below with your appropriate Gmail id. We would definitely try to send an invite for Google+ account.

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