Google Plus Circles Tips

Organising your Circles on Google Plus can become the most confusing aspect of using the social media platform but one of the best Google Plus Circles Tips we could give you. However, successfully organising your Circles can be one of the most rewarding aspects of the platform, whilst also dramatically increasingly your efficiency on the social media network. Compiled below is a list of five top Google Plus Circles tips. When used correctly these Google Plus Circles tips will make your ‘Circles’ be far more effective.

To gain deeper interactions:

Many of Google Plus’s users are curious about their followers. This curiosity stems from the fact that Google Plus does not require mutual friend acceptance like platforms such as Facebook. Due to this many users can gain hundreds and in some cases thousands of followers within weeks of joining the platform.

Google Plus presents users with the option of putting a face to their followers and communicating with them on a deeper and more meaningful level. To demonstrate, a member of the Mashable team, +Ben Parr, revealed he regularly asks his Circles for insights. One such question was “What’s the name of your favourite Google+ Circle?” This question received a number of replies, many of which were humorous. Some of the humorous replies included, “Ppl I’ve kissed”, “Ppl I want to kiss”, “Muggles”, “Inbreds” and “The Circle Of Trust”.

To create personal memos:

Some of Google Plus’ more advanced users have found a way of utilising their Google Circles as a tool to save memos, drafts and even articles which they intend to read at a later date. This tool can be utilised as a Google Plus reader enabling you to create an online archive of relevant content. In order to take advantage of this tip you need to create a “Circle of one”. This is a Circle which only contains your profile. Once created this Circle can be used as a virtual scrapbook where you can store private notes and document online relationships with other users.

To filter:

According to Vic Gundotra and Bradley Horowitz, Google’s senior vice president of social and vice president of products, users of Google Plus have been found to be between two and three times more likely to share content in specific Circles than publically. This is because there is a certain etiquette to Google Plus Circles. This etiquette often prevents users from sharing irrelevant and uninteresting content. Dave Pogue of The New York Times explained, “You share each piece of information with only the people who deserve to know. And simultaneously, you spare the masses from seeing news which is of no interest to them.”

The Technology Journalist +Stephen Vaughan-Jones is a Google Plus user who filters his Circles. He explained that he splits his Circles into three basic categories, personal, work and interest. In a blog post on ZDNet he warns users of correct Circle etiquette.  “Just keep in mind that if you want to keep people reading your words, show some sense about what you post. For example, I can already tell you that a lot of Google+ users are already sick and tired of animated GIF graphics, no matter how cute they are.”

To Organise:

+Christopher Allen, who is Technologist and start-up advisor, uses Circles as a tool to organise his actions of Google Plus. He suggests a “starter list” which comprises the following Google Plus Circles Tips:

• 0.0 Me- a simple Circle which only has you in it. This is an excellent forum to save posts and drafts.
• 1.0 Kin- Family members and members of your extended family.
• 2.0 Kith- This Circle contains your closest friends and confidents. Namely the people who you share confidential details with and can trust not to betray your trust.
• 3.0 Peers- this Circle comprises your closest colleagues and also those whom you collaborate with on projects.
• 4.0 Local- This Circle includes members of your geographic locality, e.g. neighbours, friends you’d invite to functions and parties and the parents of your children’s friends.
• 5.0- This Circle can be used for various groups and personal interests.
• 6.0 Acquaintances- This Circle is for those friends who you know but not particularly well.
• 7.0 Followers- This Circle contains all of those whom follow you. Individuals who you may or may not know.
• 8.0 Watching- Individuals whose posts you read but may not be following you.
• 9.0 Special- This Circle is useful for collating special lists or for exceptions to the previous categories.

Currently Google Plus does not offer a means of creating subcategories within Circles. However this is where Christopher Allen’s technique comes into its own. His method has enabled him to create Circles within Circles. To demonstrate, under the Circle 1.0 Family he has created two “sub-Circles”. These sub-Circles were labelled “1.1 Immediate Family” and “1.2 Extended Family.” This method has enabled Allen to create a total of 42 specific Circles. This figure may seem daunting, however it has enabled him to be far more effective in his endeavours on the platform.

However this method presents a lot of sorting, especially if your account has a particularly large following. Allen suggests reviewing a few Circles each day. He explains his methodology, “I do so by going to “Manage Circles”, then selecting “People in your Circles. From here I organise individual users by their surname. I choose the letter of the alphabet which corresponds with the particular day of the month. From here I hover my mouse over each name… If they are in the wrong Circle, I move them.”

To source:

Circles can be utilised as a valuable tool to gain authentic feedback from your following and one of the key Google Plus Circles Tips to get the most out of the site. This information can then be used as a resource. For example asking members of a particular Circle “where do you live?” not only enables you to get to know them better, it also enables you to get a real idea of what your following is thinking or doing. This technique enables you to utilise Circles as a tool in order to determine how successful aspects of your marketing strategy are and ways in which it could be improved. We hope you have enjoyed our Google Plus Circles Tips and feel free to add us to your Circles!