How to use Google Plus effectively - tips and tricks - Part 1

Google Plus created great waves ever since the service was launched by Google for competing with the social networking sites like Twitter as well as Facebook. Google+ has succeeded greatly in innovating new features that differentiate it from the Facebook as well as Twitter. One of the most notable introductions is the Circles feature as well as Hangouts feature.

Adding People to Circles

Circles can be considered as a new means of keeping track of the people that the users wish to follow. When the user put someone in a circle, then that means the following;

Their updates will be displayed in your stream

Users will be able to see the updates of everyone by means of the Default Setting

If the user wishes to see the update of any particular user, then they can do so by clicking the name of that specific circle that is displayed on the left hand column

Other users will be able to view the posts as well as updates of the user only if the user chooses to share those updates with that of a circle

Another major attraction of this feature is that a user can select not to view your updates while still allowing the users to view their posts

Green Means Public, Blue Means Limited

It has to be noted that when the users mark a post as Public, then that means everyone can see your posts. The Public posts will be denoted in green color, where as if you are the user who just wants to share the posts with certain particular circles, then their names will appear below in the Blue color.

Adding Photos, Videos and Links Quickly

For adding photos, Videos as well as links, users can do that by normal means by clicking on the desired option or else they can drag the required file in to the Share Box.

Keyboard Shortcuts for saving Time

Space = Scroll Down

J = Scroll Down one post

Return = Start Comment

Tab and Return = End Comment

Shift and Space = Scroll Up

Q = Jump Directly to post

K = Scroll up one post

One of the most notable keyboard shortcuts includes the opening up of a comment box by just hitting the Enter tab while reading any posts. The feature is absolutely useful in saving at least a few seconds.

Send Direct Messages

Users will first have to write a post

Share the post with one of the person that you would like to share

Then select the Share tab

Go to the Menu

Click the ‘Disable Reshare’ option

By doing this, the person for whom you sent the message won’t be able to send it to anyone else.

This is how users can make use of Google Plus effectively by making use of the above mentioned tips as well as tricks.