Social media has changed the way journalists reach their audience. Google Plus is the next rising social media website for journalists to connect to their audience. Watch this presentation for a crash course in Google Plus and the benefits available to you as a journalist.

1. GOOGLE PLUS
THE FUTURE BENEFITS AVAILABLE TO JOURNALISTS
Carissa Davis
JOMC 491

2. GOOGLE PLUS AT A GLANCE
• A Google product that initially spread solely through
invite
• Would serve as Google’s social network with a
variety of features similar to Facebook, Twitter and
Skype
• Numerous features that offer a variety of options for
user interaction

3. FEATURES
Profile:
• If you use Google
products, you have a
Google Plus profile
• Picture and cover
photo
• Post section
• About section
• Photos, Albums
• +1

4. FEATURES
Circles:
• Separate your friends, followers and who you follow
into different groups.
• You can combine all of your circles into one
newsfeed or create separate feeds based on your
circles.
• Circles can include: work, family, friends, etc.
• New public circles linking people by their interests

5. FEATURES
Hangouts
• Provides a place
where your circle or a
select group of
friends can video
chat all in one place.
• Hangouts can be live
streamed for Google
Plus users to watch as
well.

6. FEATURES
Posts
• Text
• Photos
• Videos
• Hangouts
• Chat
• +1

7. EVA CHEN
• Fashion writer/editor and Health and Beauty
Director of Teen Vogue Magazine.
• Uses Google Plus to discuss fashion and beauty
• Posts vary between long and short

8. TIPS FOR JOURNALISTIC SUCCESS
• Use Google Plus as your own personal newspaper
or magazine application
• Next social media network to affect the journalism
career and industry due to the various features it
offers.
• Trailblazing the way for journalists by incorporating
citizen journalists and non-professionals

9. INTERACTION WITH AUDIENCE
• Google Plus provides a new and improved way to
interact with your audience
• Suggest that your circles play a role in the
development of stories by tagging you in photos
• Use Google Hangouts and stream them publicly to
not only discuss stories and developments but also
converse with circles about various topics
• Enable chat when using social media for research
purposes

10. POSTS
USE MULTIPLE CONTENT TO ACCOMPANY TEXT POSTS

11. POSTS
ENCOURAGE CITIZEN JOURNALISTS TO SUBMIT CONTENT

12. GOOGLE HANGOUTS
USE HANGOUTS TO CONVERSE WITH A VARIETY OF USERS

13. GOOGLE HANGOUTS
NEW YORK TIMES HOSTS HANGOUT WITH BASKETBALL FANS AND
OLYMPIANS

14. GOOGLE HANGOUT EXPERIENCE
• Hangout Host: Coordinates the Hangout, invites
guests/participants and viewers. The Hangout
streams from the host’s profile.
• Hangout Guest: Actively participates in the
Hangout, usually a featured guest relative to the
content in discussion
• Hangout Viewer: Watches the Hangout

15. GOOGLE HANGOUTS
ADVERTISE YOUR HANGOUTS IN ADVANCE FOR MORE
INTERACTION

16. HANGOUT OPPORTUNITIES
DISASTER IN THE PHILIPPINES

17. HANGOUT OPPORTUNITIES
FASHION SHOW

18. CITIZEN JOURNALIST INTERACTION
• Encourage other journalists to help you develop
stories by encouraging them to tag you in photos
and use chat to give you updates

19. DO
• Use all of Google Plus’ features to your advantage
• Make yourself accessible to your circles and followers
• Communicate with your circles and followers and thank
them often
• Update your profile with news content on a consistent
basis
• Be a team player, join forces with citizen journalists and
other journalists
• Use interns and ground reporters to fact-check
• Use various ways to encourage conversation on your
posts

20. DO NOT
• Make your profile into a personal blog, you have a
blog for that
• Only share content that was posted by another
journalist
• Send spam
• Use Google Plus exactly how you would use
Facebook and Twitter
• Only ask a question at the end of your post

21. CONCLUSION
• Google Plus’ features will allow professional
journalists and citizen journalists to join forces for
better stories
• Google Hangout, Chat and Tag options will better
connect journalists to their circles, audience and
even competitors
• More access to large groups of people since
Google Plus already has 400 million users.
• Have any questions? Contact me on My Google
Plus profile