How to use Google+

How to use Google+

A Twitter friend of mine named Richard Williams tweeted that I convinced him to return to Google+ after a long hiatus. The site has changed so much, however, that he no longer knows how to use it.

https://twitter.com/rlswilliams/status/980916982504742913

So here's how I recommend that people use it:

1. A blogging platform.

Use Google+ as you would Tumblr or Blogger or any Squarespace blog. Post anything and everything. Use "Collections" to categorize your posts so you don't annoy the tech people with your food and the food people with your tech, etc.

2. A search engine.

By all means follow people who post great stuff. But also know that every thing you look at inside Google+ is a search result. By following people, collections or communities, you're just looking at a search result packaged by Google. An even more powerful way to use Google+ is to do a search result, then use that as a "news feed" (minus all the Facebook bullshit).

For example, if your only interests are LEGO, Chromebooks and Tesla, search Google+ for:

LEGO OR chromebook OR Tesla

And get the following custom "news feed":

https://plus.google.com/s/LEGO%20OR%20chromebook%20OR%20Tesla/top

3. As a "visual reddit."

Use search in the Communities area to find your communities. Some are well moderated; most are not. Find the ones that are well moderated, or create your own.

https://plus.google.com/communities

For example, if you like beer, then:

https://plus.google.com/communities/108283875356362018119

4. A social network

If you must, use Google+ as a social network. Google makes great suggestions here:

https://plus.google.com/people

Google+ peeps: What did I miss?

#google+