CircleCount helps you better understand Google+

2013-05-22 15:21:15 (1 comments, 5 reshares, 15 +1s)

Want to learn how Google+ can help your brand make personal connections with customers? Attend +Christian Oestlien's keynote session at +Internet Week New York today at 1:30PM ET. If you can't make it to Manhattan, watch online at http://new.livestream.com/iwny.

2013-05-21 16:09:49 (6 comments, 26 reshares, 75 +1s)

The NewME Accelerator Hits the Road!
Are you a tech entrepreneur looking to pitch the next BIG idea? 

The +NewME Accelerator  a nationally recognized Startup Accelerator for minorities and women based in San Francisco founded by +Angela Benton hits the road with the next stop in Detroit, MI at +TechTown Detroit from May 29-31st (http://goo.gl/KiYJa).  NewME has been featured in +Black Enterprise, +CNNMoney, and +NPR  Powered by +Google for Entrepreneurs, the NewME PopUP will visit 13 cities around the US where entrepreneurs will get one-on-one coaching, participate in hands on workshops, and the opportunity to pitch their idea to investors with the chance to win $45,000 worth of prizes. 

In Detroit, our friends +Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce +Michigan Black Chamber of Commerce, and +Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council (MMSDC) are helping tospread t... more »

2013-05-17 20:55:58 (14 comments, 24 reshares, 90 +1s)

Phishing is the act of trying to trick a person into revealing personal information like usernames, passwords, and financial information.  Find out how to protect yourself and your business by checking out today's Friday 15 tip from Google's Get Your Business Online team.  Remember to check out the latest tip every other Friday to help grow your business online.   www.gybo.com/Friday15   #Friday15  

2013-05-17 14:40:31 (5 comments, 22 reshares, 64 +1s)

Offer posts in Google+: Easily save and share offers with your circles

Millions of people follow brands they love on Google+ to keep tabs on them, get the latest news on products, join in on the conversation or simply to be entertained. Many people also engage with businesses to get great deals and discounts. Starting today, we’re making it easier to discover, save and share offers right from Google+.

We’re beginning with a select group of brands like +ZAGAT , +Hello Kitty , +Art.com , +NOOK , +Adafruit Industries  who can now share offers with their followers. If you follow any of these brands, you'll soon see offers from them in your stream.  You can save these offers directly from the post. Once saved, you can use the Google Offers app or simply follow the email confirmation on how to easily redeem the offer online or in-store. 

And just like in reallife, if y... more »

2013-05-15 19:03:54 (3 comments, 38 reshares, 95 +1s)

Updated rating system for local businesses with new Google Maps

Have you heard about new +Google Maps (http://goo.gl/DXQR)? Learn about updates to the rating system for local businesses on new Google Maps on our blog. Users are using new Google Maps will now rate places on a scale that ranges from one to five stars. The system maintains the precision of the former 30 point scale while improving the readability and accessibility of the business listings.

2013-05-13 18:28:14 (19 comments, 65 reshares, 260 +1s)

15 GB now shared between Drive, Gmail, and Google+ Photos

Today we’re improving the way you use storage in +Google Drive, +Gmail, and +Google+ Photos. Instead of having 10 GB for Gmail and another 5 GB for Drive and Google+ Photos, you’ll now get 15 GB of unified storage for free to use as you like between Drive, Gmail, and Google+ Photos. 

Head over to our blog to read more: http://goo.gl/UfvmD

2013-05-10 20:52:22 (3 comments, 12 reshares, 45 +1s)

Hangout on Air: Ad Disapprovals and Review Process

AdWords Specialists +Joe Abernethy  +Alec Fox  and +Kaylyn Frazier  hosted a Hangout on Air yesterday about Ad Disapprovals and the Ad Review Process.  

To watch the full 20-minute Hangout on Air, visit the Google Business YouTube channel here:  http://goo.gl/9rFyn

After sharing some interesting, Googley facts about themselves, Alec and Joe explain some of the top reasons for disapproved ads.  Alec reminds us of the important policies regarding URLs in ads.  Joe explains why we have editorial standards, and discusses guidelines for using symbols, punctuation and capitalization. 

Alec and Joe screenshare to show us exactly where to re-submit ads that are disapproved, check on statuses of ads and view important policy details about ads in an AdWords account. 

Here is the article onEditoria... more »

2013-05-07 20:17:59 (11 comments, 33 reshares, 104 +1s)

Since the summer of 2011, we’ve been on a mission to get America’s businesses online and growing. What would it look like if we lined up all these businesses that are new to the web? Turns out, they would stretch for 856 miles—nearly a third of the way across America. Think of it as America’s longest Main Street. Our goal is to get enough businesses online so that they stretch from coast to coast. Track our progress, check out businesses from your home state, and then help a business you know get online: http://www.gybo.com/our-progress

2013-05-15 19:04:18 (4 comments, 30 reshares, 61 +1s)

Today's Friday 15 tackles the important topic of Online Reviews!  Join Google's +Whitney Lemon and +Cody Julian for the lastest 15 minute tip for small businesses.  

Make growing your website a habit by checking out www.gybo.com/Friday15 every other Friday.   #Friday15   #GetYourBusinessOnline  

2013-05-02 17:21:35 (3 comments, 81 reshares, 53 +1s)

New Learn with Google webinars

We've got new Learn with Google webinars to make you a smarter digital marketer. Check out 17 upcoming sessions to give you deep-dive educational content, across a breadth of products and marketing objectives, in a format that’s convenient for you. View the series and sign up today: http://goo.gl/tH1rJ.

2013-04-30 16:32:31 (9 comments, 53 reshares, 98 +1s)

How +Clinique UK is monetising hangouts
Posted by +Natalia Cano:

Earlier this year, +Clinique UK ran a Hangout featuring skincare expert Julia Cox providing tips on caring for the eyes. Not only did the hangout generate great comments and valuable live interaction, it also created excellent educational content that Clinique then used in paid media and on YouTube, with excellent results.The in-stream ad featuring the hangout footage had a VTR that was 16 times higher than the product ad, and a CTR that was 10 times higher. And in the six weeks when the TrueView campaigns and hangout ran, Clinique achieved 7,000 new followers on Google+. Clinique’s search advertising got a boost too, thanks to all the Google+ activity. After launching social extensions, they say a 14% uplift in conversion rate, with leads coming from Google+ being potentially more valuable andlik... more »

2013-04-26 20:27:28 (1 comments, 18 reshares, 66 +1s)

We've got tips from our award-winning AdWords partners for digital success on our blog. Who better to learn from than these experts? 

2013-04-25 21:33:51 (0 comments, 19 reshares, 50 +1s)

Enhanced campaigns improvements for Google+ and mobile apps

We’re continuing to build on the enhanced campaigns foundation, and we’re happy to announce two additions: social annotations, and enhanced campaigns for mobile apps. Learn how you can improve performance with social annotations, and reach ap users based on their location, time of day, and device.  http://goo.gl/8N1Oj

2013-04-19 19:27:05 (3 comments, 17 reshares, 55 +1s)

Check out today's Friday 15!  We are chatting with an optimization expert from Homestead Websites about three easy website additions to help you grow online.

Are you devoting time each week to growing your business online?  Join us for only 15 minutes every other Friday!  www.gybo.com/Friday15 #Friday15  

2013-04-17 00:07:51 (3 comments, 20 reshares, 51 +1s)

Today’s social consumers rely so heavily on their networks of friends and peers to help them make purchase decisions that your brand can get completely cut out of the process. Join +Maya Grinberg  and Google Engage to learn how your brand’s marketing efforts can adapt to the new social media customer lifecycle.

2013-04-10 23:30:34 (17 comments, 61 reshares, 132 +1s)

Merge your Google+ Page Identity with your YouTube account and join our YouTube Google+ G+ Community to discuss merging tips, report issues, and chat with fellow Creators on your experience integrating your YouTube and G+ accounts!

2013-04-08 21:47:48 (8 comments, 6 reshares, 73 +1s)

Tomorrow we'll be "hanging out" with Richard Branson and Mashable's Pete Cashmore in Newark to discuss how technology has changed business. Submit your questions for them in the comments below and tune in at 10:30am ET: http://vgn.am/6264X6y2

2013-04-26 13:50:13 (9 comments, 38 reshares, 81 +1s)

Friday 15: Defining Goals for Your Website
In the latest segment of #Friday15 , learn how to define, set and track the goals on your website. Watch this week's Hangout below, and visit www.gybo.com/Friday15 to view past Hangouts. Don't forget to make growing your business a habit by devoting time to your website on a weekly basis!  

2013-04-03 01:05:48 (31 comments, 126 reshares, 145 +1s)

Today, we announced an updated look and feel of Google Places for Business. What’s new? Well, it’s easier to use, edits will go live faster, and we’re better integrated with other Google products. Read more about this update for new users in the US on our blog (http://goo.gl/weQVd).

2013-04-01 15:10:35 (27 comments, 15 reshares, 68 +1s)

No time to stop and smell the roses? Now the roses are just a click away with Google Nose—our flagship olfactory knowledge feature that lets your nose do the searching. With today’s launch of Google Nose beta, you can engage one of your most important senses when looking for an answer on Google by simply putting your nose up to the screen. The Google Aromabase gives you fast and comprehensive answers that are equipped with over 15 million scentibytes of data that pairs images, descriptions, and most importantly: aromas. Do a search for [Parisian streets in the morning] and be pleasantly awakened by the scent of flakey croissants dipped in brewing espresso. Or try [public library] and be taken back to your childhood with the smell of old books. Visit google.com/nose and take a whiff for yourself. You can try the new scentsation in search on your desktop, mobile phone or tablet—so search and snifftoday... more »

2013-03-26 17:22:59 (7 comments, 5 reshares, 35 +1s)

Ask Allan Livingston, AdSense Group Product Manager, your AdSense questions!

As part of a new series, we’re hosting a Hangout On Air to give you the opportunity to meet Allan Livingston, AdSense Group Product Manager. Join us on March 28th, from 9:00am to 9:30am PT (4:00pm-4:30pm GMT), right here on our AdSense +page. There are two ways to see the Hangout On Air - you can sign up for the event or you can visit our +page on the 28th to see it live. Share your questions for Allan on the this event page.  

The Hangout On Air link will be added to this event when the session starts. We look forward to seeing you all online this Thursday!

2013-03-22 17:28:42 (7 comments, 9 reshares, 53 +1s)

Posted by +Whitney Lemon 

Join #Friday15  this week for the 2nd in a 3 part series on Webmaster Tools.  This week's topic: Give Your Website a Health Checkup.  We will be chatting about crawling, indexing, blocking, and more, to help you make the most of your site using Webmaster Tools.  Remember, make growing your website a habit by checking out www.gybo.com/Friday15 and setting aside time to work on website optimization every week!

2013-03-20 16:54:46 (1 comments, 27 reshares, 57 +1s)

How fashion gets a makeover with +Topshop's full London Fashion Week experience on Google+
Posted by +Natalia Cano

There was a time when only editors of the world’s style bibles got the chance to sit on the front row of a fashion show, when the catwalk was the exclusive domain of top models, and when stylists and makeup artists were the only ones lucky enough to join in the backstage excitement of London Fashion Week.

But, as you know, this February +Topshop reinvented its fashion show and simultaneously democratised the thrill of London Fashion Week. And there's now a case study to show for it, just as Topshop reaches 1M followers on the platform (http://goo.gl/uS9dO).

2013-03-15 20:15:51 (22 comments, 30 reshares, 52 +1s)

Help Desk Hangout Wrapup: Google+ Profile and Page Update
Posted by +Jade Wang:

On Wednesday, we joined forces with +Navin Kadaba from the Google+ team to chat about the recent updates to Google+. We learned about the new, larger cover photos on profiles and pages and talked about dimensions and strategies for making pages look good. We also covered the updated look and feel of the About tab of the profile, and the action buttons on profiles and pages before answering your questions live. Check out our blog post for the full recorded Hangout on our blog post (http://goo.gl/aTLHq).

2013-04-27 15:05:48 (16 comments, 7 reshares, 48 +1s)

This week, we’re joined by the Google+ team, and we’re chatting about the recent profile and page updates. We’ll go over some of the new features and new look that you’ve been checking out for a week, and we’d love to hear your feedback and answer your questions.

Leave your questions below! We’ll be answering them live during the Hangout.

Join us at 11 a.m. PT on March 13 for our next Help Desk Hangout to learn more. To watch the Hangout live, just come back here to the +Google+ Your Business page and click the play icon on the top post. If you can’t make it, you can also watch a recording of the Hangout later this week on the Google and Your Business YouTube channel (youtube.com/googlebusiness).

_Posted by +Jade Wang _

2013-03-11 16:03:04 (7 comments, 24 reshares, 60 +1s)

Auto Brands Drive Engagement through Google Plus

Did you know 21% of Auto purchase decisions are influenced by social media? That is more than any other industry!

Top Auto brands are increasing conversion rates and engagement by taking advantage of Google+ features to connect with customers in unique ways, from G+ Communities to Hangouts to Social Extensions.

Check out our infographic for additional insights and tips, and visit our Google+ Business (http://goo.gl/VFQxG) site to learn more about Google+.

http://goo.gl/6XlBS

2013-03-07 22:03:38 (1 comments, 20 reshares, 93 +1s)

Art, Copy & Code is a new series of projects to re-imagine advertising and show how creativity and technology can work hand in hand. We're working with brands like Volkswagen, Burberry and adidas, as well as filmmakers, creative directors and technologists, to explore how brands can connect with consumers through a whole range of digital tools—including ads, mobile apps and social experiences.

Our first partner project is a new social driving experience—Volkswagen Smileage. This mobile app and web service aims to add a little bit of fun to every drive, from your daily commutes to holiday road trips. It will be available soon in beta—sign up at smileage.vw.com for early access.

Art, Copy & Code is an expansion of an effort we began last year with Project Re: Brief (www.projectrebrief.com), which recreated some of the advertising industry’s most iconic, classiccampaigns... more »

2013-03-07 20:27:12 (4 comments, 9 reshares, 51 +1s)

Getting excited for tomorrow's Friday 15!  Hope you can join +Whitney Lemon and +Anastasia Holdren as they chat about Webmaster Tools at 11 a.m. PST/ 2 p.m. EST. #Friday15  

Friday15 - Mar 8, 11AM PST

2013-03-17 00:15:36 (14 comments, 14 reshares, 52 +1s)

Alright, you have a website!  You have a mobile site!  You promote your site on print materials and word of mouth!  Great!  Now what?  Make it a habit to grow your business online!  Join Friday15!  Last week we chatted about hiring an SEO, and this week we will discuss six website optimization tools that are free for you to use to grow your website.  Join us this Friday, 3/8 for the next #Friday15   Check out www.gybo.com/Friday25 to learn more!  If you have questions about Webmaster Tools, please post them here before we go live on Friday.  

2013-03-06 19:46:18 (1 comments, 10 reshares, 42 +1s)

In only 3 months, Cadbury’s G+ Community reaches 20,000 members
Posted by +Natalia Cano:

+Cadbury UK launched its G+ community, Cakes & Baking – The Cadbury Kitchen (http://goo.gl/7l5cN) 3 months ago, and is successfully stirring deep discussion with 20,000 fans cooking up new content every day.  The brand is building a true network amongst its customers so that they engage not only with the brand, but with each other too. And the results speak for themselves:

One of the top 100 communities on G+
Over 20,000 members
Over 2,500 recipes posted
20 interactions per post on average
11 new recipes being formally developed as a result of the community member activity, all of which will be featured on the Cadbury.co.uk website

Read more about Cadbury’s use of communities in the full case study(http:/... more »

2013-03-06 15:38:00 (32 comments, 45 reshares, 101 +1s)

Some profile & page improvements, per your request

We spend lots of time listening to your feedback, and today we're launching some profile and page updates that you've been asking for. These include:

- A new tab for your Local reviews. In addition to your photos, +1's and YouTube videos, there's now a place for all your Local reviews. Highlight your favorite restaurants, or hide the tab completely via settings -- it's completely up to you.

- An easier way to edit your info. The 'About' tab now consists of separate cards (like Story, Places, and Links) -- each with its own prominent edit link. As always: you can share specific fields with specific circles, or keep them just for you.

- Bigger cover photos, with a better aspect ratio. Cover photos are much larger than before (up to 2120px by 1192px), and they display in 16x9... more »

2013-03-05 16:55:10 (8 comments, 86 reshares, 94 +1s)

Friday 15: Fast tips for your business from us

In 15 minutes, you could edit your pictures, read new posts from your favorite circles, watch a few music videos, or you could pick up tips to help your business succeed online.  During your next free 15 minutes, check out gybo.com/friday15. Friday 15 is a new Hangout series from the Google Get Your Business Online team.  Each event is designed to teach business owners to make a habit of growing their business online with tools and tips delivered Hangout style every other Friday, all in under 15 minutes.  

2013-03-04 23:16:30 (6 comments, 26 reshares, 69 +1s)

+Travel Republic celebrates their 1st year on Google+ reaching 1M followers
Posted by +Natalia Cano :

+Travel Republic have just reached a pair of major milestones in their social media activity. The company’s Google+ page is not only celebrating its first birthday, but it’s celebrating reaching 1 million followers on the platform too, with some outstanding results to account for:

Most clicks from a post to the website: over 8,000 clicks
Most shared post: 1,404 shares
Most +1’s recorded in a single post: 4,257 +1’s
Traffic to some hotels went up by as much as 633% following a Google+ post

Read more about +Travel Republic first year on Google+ in the full case study below (http://goo.gl/laVHD).

2013-03-04 17:35:49 (3 comments, 83 reshares, 146 +1s)

Learn with Google webinar "Google+ and Brands: The Value of Identity, Relationships & Sharing Across the Web

Join us tomorrow at 10PT/ 1ET for a Learn with Google webinar "Google+ and Brands: The Value of Identity, Relationships & Sharing Across the Web" In this webinar, we’ll discuss why having your business on Google+ matters and cover success stories from brands. You'll also have a chance to hear best practices and tips for how to get started. (http://goo.gl/UVscD)

2013-02-28 18:39:12 (9 comments, 20 reshares, 60 +1s)

Business Photos case study: Just Food for Dogs

Check out how Just Food For Dogs - a business focused on producing the highest-quality dog food - is using virtual tour imagery from Google Business Photos to build brand trust and grow their customer base (http://goo.gl/pM4ed).

2013-02-25 22:54:21 (15 comments, 57 reshares, 162 +1s)

Marketers will be using social media data more and more to drive campaigns
Posted by +Natalia Cano:

According to some recent studies, 68% of marketers said they will increase data-related marketing spending in 2013 and 19% see an "immediate opportunity" to use social media to transform their business. There is no doubt that Social media offers a great source of information on who customers are and how they behave, but will businesses finally succeed this year in trying to make greater use of its analytic capabilities?

2013-02-22 18:18:58 (7 comments, 8 reshares, 31 +1s)

Have you ever gotten calls from someone claiming they can get your website on the first page of search results?  Or wondered what an SEO expert could do for your business, or what SEO even means? Join us this Friday, 2/22 for the latest addition of #Friday15, an education series designed to teach small businesses basic tips for growing their business online.  If you have questions about hiring an SEO company, please post them in the comments before we go live on Friday. 

2013-02-23 16:29:28 (28 comments, 20 reshares, 30 +1s)

Have you ever gotten calls from someone claiming they can get your website on the first page of search results?  Or wondered what an SEO expert could do for your business, or what SEO even means? Join us this Friday, 2/22 for the latest addition of #Friday15, an education series designed to teach small businesses basic tips for growing their business online.  If you have questions about hiring an SEO company, please post them in the comments before we go live on Friday. 

2013-02-20 19:28:31 (1 comments, 29 reshares, 72 +1s)

Businesses that are online are growing faster and are more likely to create jobs. Yet 58 percent of businesses don’t have a website. Let’s get our mothers’, brothers’,  sisters’, uncles’—all our favorite businesses online: www.gybo.com.

#getyourbusinessonline   #gybo  

2013-02-13 18:07:49 (5 comments, 10 reshares, 52 +1s)

Working together with Google+, +Topshop  is offering an access-all-areas pass to its autumn/winter 2013 show at London Fashion Week, all from the comfort of your laptop!!

You will be able to access every aspect of the show as if you were the Model on the runway, the Buyer in the audience, the Make Up artist backstage, the Designer fitting a look or the Celebrity arriving. 

Check out the video below for more details and make sure to tune in at 3.00pm this Sunday at +Topshop and the Topshop YouTube channel http://goo.gl/utfGI to watch the show!

2013-03-26 18:54:47 (14 comments, 16 reshares, 39 +1s)

Last week during #Friday15 we covered tips for sprucing up the text on your website.  Join us this Friday, 2/8 at 11 a.m. PST/ 2 p.m. EST as we tackle more tips for website presentation.  We will chat website images this week, including tips for choosing the images on your site and technical tips for optimizing those images.  Check out www.gybo.com/Friday15 to sign up for emails and watch past versions of Friday 15, an education series for small businesses.

2013-02-04 14:50:19 (2 comments, 5 reshares, 38 +1s)

When you think of "firsts" and the Internet, naturally you think of those annoying comments made by trolls. But our Webby Talks Google+ Hangout with some of today's leading creatives like Google Creative Lab's Iain Tait, George Eid, Founder of Area 17, and Volontaire's Philip Ahlqwist explores a different kind of firsts: First Internet Projects.

Tune in at https://plus.google.com/+thewebbyawards on February 5, 2013 at 12pm ET join the Hangout! 

2013-01-30 14:06:49 (1 comments, 12 reshares, 50 +1s)

Social Media Week's Hangout Contest!
Posted by +Caroline McCarthy:

There are just a few days left to enter +Social Media Week's contest to conceive and execute on the most creative Hangout you can dream up. You can even use the Hangouts API to make things extra special. The winner will be awarded $5,000 by Social Media Week.

Social Media Week is February 18-22 and we'll be there with plenty of Hangout programming and education for any and all creative digital professionals.

2013-02-08 15:26:05 (3 comments, 7 reshares, 26 +1s)

This week, we’re hosting the +Google Engage for Agencies team. They provide resources for agencies to help them manage online presences. If you handle the online presence for more than one business, these resources may be helpful for you too.

Leave your questions below! We’ll be answering them live during the Hangout.

Join us at 11 a.m. PT on January 30 for our next Help Desk Hangout to learn more. To watch the Hangout live, just come back here to the +Google+ Your Business page and click the play icon on the top post. If you can’t make it, you can also watch a recording of the Hangout later this week on the Google and Your Business YouTube channel (youtube.com/googlebusiness).