Google+ is changing the way you search
I've been working with Google+ since it was invite only the first week, and it seems like there are new surprises every week or so. Google is serious about integrating as many Google products as possible into Google+, and they're moving quickly.
However, starting into 2012, Google was really busy and in a very big way. Google+ has changed the way search results can be displayed. I'll show you here how that looks. But, there's more. I'm also going to show you a couple of other new things having to do with images and video.
I'll use as an example a Google Page I created about my local area, a tourist and ski area in the mountains. It's not promoting anything, nor my real estate business, as I have another Google Business Page for that purpose.
Google released "Personal Results" in Google search results pages came out in the first weeks of 2012. It created a turmoil, with Twitter crying foul and the possibility they would take it to the government for investigation of Google unfairly using their advantage in the search world.
That aside, it added something to the search results display page that dramatically changes the way that you can view your search results. It personalizes the results based on those connected with you on Google+. If you have people in your Google+ circles, and they post up photos, comments, informational posts or other items that are found in the Google search, their results will display with others in search results.
Note the image. There is a new strip at the top of the page, and it displays the number of personal results and a few images of your Circle members. If you want to remove personal results from your search page, just click on the globe icon to the right. Also, if you click on the link with the number of personal results, you'll get rid of all other results and just display the personal ones.
The personal results appear with a small "people" icon next to them, as shown in the image at the third green arrow. A lot of criticism popped out almost immediately about this new Google feature. There were privacy concerns, though they really don't seem to hold water, as posting in Google+ allows designation of precisely who can see your posts. There are others who believe it's diluting the value of Google's algorithms and search results.
I don't see the feature as a bad one, as I can turn the personal results on and off at will. Also, as social media have matured, it's a logical development. Google believes correctly I think that a lot of people will want to know what their friends and contacts are saying about their search queries.
One of the reasons for blogging and social networking in real estate, and a major one, is to position yourself as an area real estate expert. Posting regularly about market conditions, sold property statistics and local real estate news puts you out there as someone who knows what they're talking about, and it will bring business.
Google+ has provided another social media outlet for us. It's similar in some ways with Facebook and Twitter, and different in others. However, it's growing really quickly, with more than 100 million users in its first seven months of existence. That's very much faster than any of the others were able to add users.
Now, Google+ has a feature to allow the recording of live video into a post. Of course you need a video camera, and many of us have one attached to or a feature of our computers. I have one mounted on the top of my monitor for my desktop.
You can see the result of creating a new post with the video in it in my image on this page. Use this feature to record short videos (up to 15 minutes currently) about anything that you believe will interest your Circles in Google+.
In the previous step of this article I showed you how search is displaying personal results. So, your Circles can also see your videos in their search stream in the future.
Google+ could just be the very best way for real estate professionals to interact in social media, as well as increase their search engine exposure and position.
Article Brought to you by James Kimmons, About.com Guide
Come follow Title Junction on Google+
However, starting into 2012, Google was really busy and in a very big way. Google+ has changed the way search results can be displayed. I'll show you here how that looks. But, there's more. I'm also going to show you a couple of other new things having to do with images and video.
I'll use as an example a Google Page I created about my local area, a tourist and ski area in the mountains. It's not promoting anything, nor my real estate business, as I have another Google Business Page for that purpose.
Google released "Personal Results" in Google search results pages came out in the first weeks of 2012. It created a turmoil, with Twitter crying foul and the possibility they would take it to the government for investigation of Google unfairly using their advantage in the search world.
That aside, it added something to the search results display page that dramatically changes the way that you can view your search results. It personalizes the results based on those connected with you on Google+. If you have people in your Google+ circles, and they post up photos, comments, informational posts or other items that are found in the Google search, their results will display with others in search results.
Note the image. There is a new strip at the top of the page, and it displays the number of personal results and a few images of your Circle members. If you want to remove personal results from your search page, just click on the globe icon to the right. Also, if you click on the link with the number of personal results, you'll get rid of all other results and just display the personal ones.
The personal results appear with a small "people" icon next to them, as shown in the image at the third green arrow. A lot of criticism popped out almost immediately about this new Google feature. There were privacy concerns, though they really don't seem to hold water, as posting in Google+ allows designation of precisely who can see your posts. There are others who believe it's diluting the value of Google's algorithms and search results.
I don't see the feature as a bad one, as I can turn the personal results on and off at will. Also, as social media have matured, it's a logical development. Google believes correctly I think that a lot of people will want to know what their friends and contacts are saying about their search queries.
One of the reasons for blogging and social networking in real estate, and a major one, is to position yourself as an area real estate expert. Posting regularly about market conditions, sold property statistics and local real estate news puts you out there as someone who knows what they're talking about, and it will bring business.
Google+ has provided another social media outlet for us. It's similar in some ways with Facebook and Twitter, and different in others. However, it's growing really quickly, with more than 100 million users in its first seven months of existence. That's very much faster than any of the others were able to add users.
Now, Google+ has a feature to allow the recording of live video into a post. Of course you need a video camera, and many of us have one attached to or a feature of our computers. I have one mounted on the top of my monitor for my desktop.
You can see the result of creating a new post with the video in it in my image on this page. Use this feature to record short videos (up to 15 minutes currently) about anything that you believe will interest your Circles in Google+.
In the previous step of this article I showed you how search is displaying personal results. So, your Circles can also see your videos in their search stream in the future.
Google+ could just be the very best way for real estate professionals to interact in social media, as well as increase their search engine exposure and position.
Article Brought to you by James Kimmons, About.com Guide
Come follow Title Junction on Google+
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