Lisa M Cope

There are two basic ways you can run your Google+ Hangout. The first way is from within your Google+ account. You simply click on Hangouts and then click on the tab that says Start a Hangout. The second way is from your Google+ Page. Just navigate to your page and then click on the green icon that says Start a Video Call.

There is a difference between the two and that is starting a Hangout from your page only allows you to do a video call. Message type Hangouts can be started from within your Gmail account.

It is important to run a well organized Hangout and to do this you want to plan in advance. Take the following tips into consideration:

• Cover only one topic per Hangout
• Decide if you want to invite guests to participate Live or not
• Help guests test the Hangout environment from their end
• Test your equipment in advance to make sure it is working correctly
• If sharing slides or documents prepare these in advance and test them out

As the organizer of the Hangout you have the ability to mute people if necessary. You simply click on their image and mute and unmute as required.

When running your Hangout the main speaker is always featured in the top half of the screen. Other participants are featured in smaller icons in the lower section of the screen. As the speaker changes the screen flips to showcase the current speaker.

If your Hangout is live remember you do have the ability to edit out any trouble spots afterwards. Plus everyone knows that live events don’t always go as planned. So if a mishap occurs take it in stride and fix it later on.

Always stay focused on your main topic and don’t cover too much information in your Hangout. Instead it is better to run several Hangouts. This way you won’t overwhelm your viewers!

Hangouts can be long but bear in mind that some people may not want to watch a long replay video. This is why some top companies edit their videos and remove any lulls or unnecessary information. Short and sweet is the way to go with Hangouts on Air.

By taking the time to plan out your Hangout you can be assured that it will run smoothly. Edit it if needed and then make your URL public or private as you wish.

You have probably heard about Google+ Hangouts but are feeling a little intimidated on using them. Not to worry many people have the same fears and using Hangouts is not that difficult. The worst part is just getting started.

To get started with Google+ Hangouts you will want to create a Google+ account. This is quick and simple to use and if you have a Gmail account the same details and photo are used.

When you invite people to your Hangout they will receive an email notification that your Hangout is about to start. If they don’t have an account they will receive instructions on how to set one up.

There are several ways to hold a Hangout and one of the best ways is to start with a message Hangout. This can be done right inside your Gmail account and is the same has sharing text messages. The only difference is that you can invite up to 100 of your friends to your Hangout and you can all join in on the conversation.

Even if your guests aren’t able to attend your Hangout they can still join in the conversation at a later date. The great thing about Hangouts is that they are accessible on all platforms and that your conversation follows you. So if you start chatting on your iPhone and end up at home on your computer you can easily continue where you left off.

In order to use Hangouts from inside your Gmail account you will need to download and install a plugin. Just follow the directions and you are literally done within a couple of seconds. If you use Google Chrome then download the Google+ Hangouts extension.

After installation you will be directed to synch your Google+ account with your YouTube account, again a simple process. You need to complete this step so that your Hangouts on Air are automatically uploaded to your YouTube account.

This step eliminates the need for editing and adding a sound track to your videos and then manually uploading them to your YouTube account. Just make sure you add a good description to your video along with any relevant keywords. Depending on your purpose with your Hangout video you may want to create specific playlists for them.

Take the time today and learn just how to use Google+ Hangouts and you will be on your way to generating more exposure for your business.

Gmail has recently gone through many changes including changing the way their tabs displayed emails. Did you know that you can run a Hangout from within your Gmail account? Google Chat has disappeared and you can now replace this by making a video call or by having a group message chat.

To use your Gmail account for a Hangout you have to install a simple plugin. Just download it and follow the instructions. It is really easy and installs within minutes.

When you are ready to make a video call simply scroll down the left hand side of your account where your photo is. Next to that you will see a small movie camera icon. Click on that to start your video call.
When your plugin is activated and you are online you will notice that the icon turns green. Click on the drop down arrow to see all the available settings and options. To change any of these options just click on the tab and make the appropriate changes.

The nice thing about running a Message Hangout is that you can invite up to 100 people. With a Hangout on Air only 10 people can participate live, though you can invite more to watch the Hangout.

The good thing about starting your Hangout in Gmail is that your conversation will follow you across all of your devices. So if you are out when the Hangout starts you can join in on your iPhone or Android. Then when you get home you can switch to your computer, laptop or tablet without missing a beat.

With any type of change it does take a little getting used to. But when you see how easy and versatile Gmail and Google+ are you will be glad that you are using them.

Think about how easy it will be to quickly connect with a sales team member out in the field. Or you can call a staff meeting at any time, just by sending out invitations to your staff members on Gmail.

Many businesses are switching their email programs to Gmail because of all the new features and the functionality of it. Gmail makes it so easy to connect with all of your employees or colleagues regardless of their location. Plus with so many people telecommuting using Hangouts is a great way to stay connected to the office.