Google+ Hangouts
How to have FUN with groups, photos, text and videos!
By
Susan Harrison
Harrison Kenyon Marketing
Contents
What is a Hangout ..................................................................................................................... 3
Hangout Facts ........................................................................................................................ 3
Getting Started with Hangouts ................................................................................................... 3
Setting up Your Account and Connecting to Hangouts ............................................................... 4
How to Start a Hangout .............................................................................................................. 7
Hangouts Chrome Extension ..................................................................................................... 8
Using Hangouts in Gmail ........................................................................................................... 8
Installing the Gmail Plugin for Hangouts ................................................................................. 9
Google+ Hangouts’ Features ....................................................................................................10
What You Will See in Your Hangout..........................................................................................11
Hangouts on Air ........................................................................................................................12
Ways to Incorporate Hangouts into Your Business ...................................................................12
Examples of Hangouts ..........................................................................................................16
Events .......................................................................................................................................17
The Two Types of Videos Which Can Help Build Your Business Faster....................................18
Hangout Best Practices.............................................................................................................18
Case Studies ............................................................................................................................19
National Geographic Celebrates their 125th Anniversary........................................................19
Hangout Interview Series from Jason Matthews ....................................................................19
Sponsored Hangouts .............................................................................................................19
New York Times ....................................................................................................................20
Cadbury.................................................................................................................................20
BakeSpace ............................................................................................................................20
Hangout Giveaways ..................................................................................................................20
Go Behind the Scenes in Your Business ...................................................................................21
Conclusion ................................................................................................................................21
What is a Hangout
A Hangout is a method of getting together with a group of your friends and chatting via messages
or video. Restrictions do apply: for a video Hangout you can connect 10 people and with
messaging you can connect up to 100 people inside your Gmail account.
Hangouts on Air is a feature inside of your Google+ account. It allows you to create videos and
video chat with people on all of your devices. There are some guidelines you will need to follow
to set this up so you and your friends can use Hangouts together.
When having a conversation in Hangouts the person who is talking will be shown on the screen.
When someone new joins in the screen will flip to that person. This makes Hangouts extremely
user friendly and interactive, which is just why they are becoming so popular. Plus the fact that
you can use Apps, document sharing, YouTube sharing and screen sharing.
Hosting a Hangout can help you improve your business when it comes to search engine results.
Remember that Hangouts is a Google innovation and your Hangouts will be viewed kindly by
Google. Plus creating videos has been shown to help improve your organic search results.
In addition to this utilizing a Hangout allows you to be creative in new ways and allows you to
interact with your customers, regardless of their location. When used correctly Hangouts can add
that personal touch back to your business, this is one thing that can often be lacking for internet
based businesses.
Always remember to embed your Hangout URL on your website. This will help improve your
rankings and provides your site with valuable new content on a regular basis.
Hangout Facts
Recently the Business Insider reported that Google+ is experiencing a sudden growth spurt. If
this trend continues then Google+ will soon take over Twitter as the 2 nd largest social media site
in the world.
The spike is up by 33% with 359 million users. It is reported that more people are using Google+
than the population of the United States.
What does this mean for your business? Remember you always want to be at the front of new
technology and trends. By incorporating Google+ and Hangouts into your business plan you will
be doing just that. Your company will be viewed as a leading edge business.
Getting Started with Hangouts
To use Hangouts everyone that you want to include in your session will need to have a Google
Account. If the person already uses Hangouts, Google+ or Gmail they will receive your request
when they log into their accounts.
For anyone who doesn’t have an account they will be directed to set one up. An email is sent to
them instructing them how to do this.
Your hangout picture is the same one that you have connected to your Google+ Account. If you
have used Google Chat before this picture will be connected to the Hangout.
In order to change your picture you will need to have an active Google+ account.
Setting up Your Account and Connecting to Hangouts
You will need to install the Hangouts Plugin in order to use this feature. If you attempt to try a
Hangout you will be directed to the following page:
Simply click on Install Plugin and follow the directions.
Let the plugin install. You may experience trouble with this step and get a page that shows you
that the plugin failed to install. If this happens you can try refreshing the page first. If this does not
work simply go to the download and run the plugin again. If you are still having trouble we found
that logging out of your Google account and refreshing your browser works. Log back in and
reinstall the plugin and you should be good to go.
Once the plugin is installed successfully you will see the following screen.
Follow the directions to connect your account.
You will need to verify your accounts. This can be done on the phone or via a text message.
Select which option you want and wait for your verification pin number to be sent to you. This is
done immediately so be certain you have your phone handy. You will get the following notice
once your accounts are verified.
Next you will see what features are available in your account and if you account is in good
standing.
Once you have completed these steps you are ready to get started with your very first Hangout.
How to Start a Hangout
The easiest way to start a Hangout is from your Google+ page.
Just go to your dashboard and then select the Hangouts on Air
feature.
Or you can go to your pages and select which page you want to use for your hangout, click on
Manage and then Start a Hangout as shown in the image below.
After clicking on the Hangout button you will be able to add people to your call. It is important to
note that doing a Hangout from one of your Pages allows you to do a video call.
From your main account you will be taken to the Hangout on Air page. Where you can name your
Hangout and add people to it.
Hangouts Chrome Extension
Visit this page to download the easy to use Google Chrome extension for Hangouts:
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/category/ext/15-by-google?hl=en-US
Your Hangout session will start in a new browser window.
Whenever you see the Green “ you can click on them to start a Hangout.
Using Hangouts in Gmail
This new feature now allows you to have face to face video calls directly within your Gmail
account. New features include:
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Sharing photos
Group Hangouts with up to 100 people for sending messages only
Get to use over 800 new emoji (emotions)
When you hold a Hangout conversation it is synched across all of your devices. For example if
you start your Hangout in Gmail and then decide to switch to your iPad the conversation will follow
you to that device.
Installing the Gmail Plugin for Hangouts
Click on your photo image in your Gmail account
Click on the video icon which is your voice and video settings – add voice and video and you will
be taken to a page to download a Gmail plugin.
You will also want to enable Chat in your Gmail Settings:
Google+ Hangouts’ Features
Take a look at some of the exciting features and you will see the power of Hangouts for yourself.
Multiple Viewing Options – while you can broadcast to an unlimited number of viewers, there
are options for participating. You can invite them to join the Hangout with you, or they can watch
your Hangout live as a YouTube Stream.
Switch between Cameras - this feature allows you to use different cameras. This is perfect if
you are creating a how to type of video as you can teach from different areas of the room if
necessary.
Use Mobile Devices - users should have the ability to join a Google+ Hangout from their Android
or iPhone devices. Making it extremely convenient and accessible to users regardless of which
piece of technology they are using.
Share Your Computer Screen - this helps users become more involved, and you can also switch
between video capture and screen capture.
Multiple Sharing Options - while your Hangout is automatically uploaded to YouTube you still
have different options you can choose from. Your choices include making your Hangout available
immediately. Or you may wish to wait until you have edited and even added music to it.
What You Will See in Your Hangout
When you invite guests to be in your Hangout they need to have
access to a video webcam which is connected to their
computer. If they do not have a webcam but have a microphone
then they can still participate. Their voice will be heard and their
video image will just be replaced by their Google+ photo. While
this photo will be visible during the Hangout it will appear as a
blank screen in the final YouTube video.
Once you enter into a Hangout you will be faced with a large
screen. This screen will display a video of the person who is
talking. If guests are invited then they will appear in small boxes
below the main screen.
On the left hand side of your screen you will see your control
box, as shown here. This is where you can invite people to your
broadcast or chat with people. The Remote Desktop allows you
to connect to remote computers and help them out with their
settings, providing you are given permission to access them.
When a new person begins speaking the screen flips to
showcase them. Guests are able to also share their screens
using the ‘screen sharing’ feature. This is an extremely useful
feature and can be used to share slides, websites, photos,
graphics, documents and more.
The Google Effects is a newer fun feature that allows you
to add silly hats, glasses and moustaches to people in
the Hangout. You can see some samples in the image
below.
Where Can you Use Hangouts?
Hangouts are the perfect way to bring any conversation to life you can send photos and use any
of the 800+ emotions or use video calling.
Hangouts will work on all of your devices including your PC, Android, Smartphone, iPad and
iPhone and on all Apple devices.
It is easy to download apps for using Hangouts on different devices.
Google Play
iTunes App Store
When you call your friends or associates to start a Hangout they will be notified immediately. If
they are not on their device they will know that you sent them a message and they can easily join
in the conversation later on. The nice thing about Hangouts is that you can pick the conversation
back up at any time and bring it to life.
You can even call phones from your computer. Currently all calls placed from within a Hangout
session are free to the US and Canada, with other countries having really low rates.
Hangouts on Air
Using Hangouts on Air really helps you get your message across. You can easily broadcast your
video with live streaming to your friends, family and business associates around the world. Or you
can record your Hangout and then share it privately.
Hangouts on Air are proving to be extremely popular with business owners big and small.
Once you have recorded your video it is automatically saved to your YouTube account. This is
fantastic as you don’t have to worry about learning how to upload your videos manually. It takes
about 10 to 15 minutes to render a one hour video and have it listed live on YouTube.
You can also choose not to publish your video immediately. If it is extra long you may want to edit
it to remove any slow moving moments. Keep in mind that short engaging videos tend to get more
views than long ones.
When preparing to do a Hangout on Air you want to make sure your lighting is good. Try to be in
a well lit room and using a light behind your video camera is recommended. When recording your
Hangout try to be in a quiet room and use a good quality microphone.
Ways to Incorporate Hangouts into Your Business
Group Conference Message Calls – this is a great way to get employees together regardless
of their location. If you run a message conference then you can easily have up to 100 people
participating. This is the perfect way to run something like an educational conference and if
anyone is not available they can easily add their feedback at a later time. Message calls are
always available for review which is another important factor.
Webinars – holding webinars for your business can be extremely expensive. Hangouts allow you
to hold a webinar at no cost. While you can only have 10 people live on the webinar you can invite
others to attend without interacting. Plus you can use the recorded version of your webinar as a
sales or promotional tool afterwards, and for sending to those who couldn’t attend.
Product Demonstrations- does your business cater to demonstrations? Are you able to
demonstrate how to use certain products? Live demonstrations are a fantastic visual way to teach
customers how to use your products and how to answer any difficulties they may be encountering.
Product Reviews – affiliate marketers can use Hangouts on Air to provide reviews on products
that they actually own. This will give you more creditability with your reviews as you are showing
proof that you know the product.
Slide Sharing – When holding your Hangout you can upload your slides, documents, graphics
and other items via the “slideshare” section. This is perfect for helping you showcase or explain
visually your event. After selecting this option your screen will now show at the top of the Hangout
on Air. Your face will be shown in a smaller screen at the bottom of the Hangout. If you have cohosts their faces will also be displayed.
Set Up Events on Air – Hangouts are a great way to take your events on air! You don’t have to
worry about traveling anywhere and fighting busy downtown streets. Instead hold an online event
and get your business conducted easily. Events are also perfect for using as fund raising events
and for campaign and branding awareness.
Tutorials – perfect for anyone with a tutoring business. Using the screen sharing function you
can show your student certain steps. By talking face to face you are building your relationship and
this allows you to talk your student through their lessons.
Cooking Shows – using Hangouts on Air for cooking shows and demonstrations is extremely
popular. Cooks were among the first people to start using Hangouts in this manner.
How To – there is an almost limitless number of ways you can show ‘How To’ methods for your
business. If you don’t have a physical product you can use PowerPoint slides to help explain your
methods.
For Authors – authors can easily use Hangouts for virtual tours and book reading events. After
the event you could offer a special discount on your books or offer to virtually sign one of your
books.
Share Your Expertise – hold a weekly Hangout where you provide people with news and updates
that have happened earlier in the week. This is a good way to ensure that you stay active and
keep your name prominent.
Research – invite experts or customers to your Hangout in order to do research for a new product
or for improving your business in anyway. Ask guests to be candid and honest and see what they
think could be improved in your business.
Customer Relations - Store owners can bring in customers and get them to ask questions, talk
about favorite products and share photos.
Weekly/Monthly Team Chats- use these for staff/ sales teams or to connect with satellite offices.
As well as allowing you to hold your meeting Hangouts also allow employees to connect with each
other as well and this is great for team morale.
Pep Talks for Employees – another great way to motivate employees and sales teams. These
could be held at various times and without much notice depending on what is happening in your
business.
Training Procedures – Hangouts are the perfect way of showing new employees their new job.
These videos could be pre-recorded and then archived under a Playlist with each new employee
being given access to a relevant video training manual.
Pre Interview Technique – use for new hires before deciding to hire in person. Conduct a quick
pre interview before inviting the person in for a formal one.
Long Distance Interviews – saves the prospect time and money to travel long distances for an
interview.
Stream Live Events – singers and groups are using Hangouts on Air to stream their events live.
Other ways to use live events include promoting a new product or book launch or even for hosting
a live charity event.
Tech Support/Customer Service – major corporations are already using Hangouts for ‘live’
customer service and for helping out with technical support issues.
Consultations – what better way to offer a business or personal consultation for your business
or service.
Use as Lead Generation – make your Hangout public and you will end up finding leads who are
interested in what you have to offer.
Great for Virtual Teams – if you are a project manager you could easily get everyone on your
virtual team together for daily or weekly meetings.
Use as Content on Your Website – take your finished video and add it to your blog or website.
If you used a message type hangout then take any useful information and tips and create articles,
blog posts and even email messages.
Local News Station – use your Hangout to broadcast local news and events including things like
Town hall meetings, parent meetings and teacher conferences.
Client Meetings Without Leaving the Office – this is an easy way to book meetings with clients
or schedule a meet and greet type of event.
Free Customer Demonstrations – showcase new and upcoming products to your own
customers first. This is a great way to treat current customers with extra special coupons or
discounts.
Baby Monitor- Use the following link to turn your lap top into a baby monitor:
http://www.huxtablebaby.com/baby-monitor-hangout/
Press Conferences – Taylor Swift recently used a Hangout to announce her new album. This
was held live and Taylor Swift played her first single and answered questions from fans around
the world. The result was that when her single was released on iTunes it hit number one faster
than any other song in history!
FAQ Sessions – simply use customer feedback and set up a recorded Hangout with answers to
the most frequently asked questions. These can be set up per product or service within their own
separate playlist.
Content for Membership Sites – using video to showcase your products or service within a
membership site is a great way to use a Hangout. It is often easier for people to see how to do
something than to read how to do it.
Create Intimate Workshops – this would work well for anyone with a craft or hobby business.
Use the Hangout to learn how to do something new, or for critiquing new projects.
Online Communities & Support Groups – many people look for small support groups and may
not want to travel far to find one. Create online support groups using Hangouts. This would work
well for depression, anxiety and weight loss support type groups.
Connecting with People Back Home - moving can be a lonely experience and you may get
homesick for your family and friends. Get everyone together on a Hangout to stay connected and
to boost your spirits.
Chat with Your Kids at College – help your teenagers deal with those first few weeks away by
chatting via message or video chat. You could record a private video in a Hangout and then send
them the link to view it. This would work well when time zones are an issue or when you know
your child has a special event coming up and you can’t be there for them.
Use in Long Distance Relationships – keep that spark alive in your long distance relationship
by getting together on a Hangout. Make a date night and get dressed up just as though you were
going out somewhere together.
Face to Face Contact with Customers – this type of contact really helps build that customer
relationship in your business. You will find you can retain a customer longer if you actually chat
with them face to face.
Brain Storming Sessions – need to come up with new project ideas? Then hold impromptu brain
storming Hangout sessions.
Mastermind Groups – get a team of like minded people together to discuss ideas in a private
and confidential setting.
Accountability Sessions – what better way to connect with an accountability partner than by
meeting up for a weekly Hangout session?
Critique Sessions – use individual Hangouts to critique an employee’s performance or give them
a review. These sessions could be used as motivation and morale.
Use as Product Advertisements/Commercials – create 30 second commercials in your
Hangout and upload to YouTube.
Web shows – hold a live web show to showcase your business, products or your service. Make
it fun and entertaining and invite different guests. Why not turn this into a weekly or monthly event?
Create a Studio Page - do this on your website and have demo videos for products, fitness
exercises, craft classes – advertise free classes online
Create an Interview Series – use Hangouts to conduct a series of related people or topic related
interviews in your niche.
Examples of Hangouts
Below are a couple of examples of the type of Hangout you could create as a way of connecting
with people. You could start a hobby related Hangout or one connected to your business.
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Language Practice Hangouts
Chef Hangouts
NASA Science and Astronomy Hangout
Hangout Comedy Club
Hangouts against Humanity
Yoga Meetups
Bass Fishing in America
Events
As we mentioned in the list
above you can use Hangouts for
your events.
To create your Event you need
to visit your Google+ page and
click on the events tab. A nice
feature of the Event tab is that
you can choose a template for
your Event.
After choosing an appropriate
theme then simply fill out your
Event details:
To make this an Event on Air you need to go
to the Event Options tab:
When you first open this tab you will have
the ability to allow guests to invite other
people and allow them to add photos. You
can also hide the guest list.
Next click on the Advanced Tab:
This is where you can make
your Event a Hangout on Air.
You must do this step when
creating your event otherwise
you will lose the ability to turn it
into a Hangout later on. If you
have events already created you
cannot use the on air feature.
The Two Types of
Videos Which Can Help Build Your Business Faster
In regards to using video for building your business you want to come up with short videos which
are creative. Your video should be designed to capture the viewer’s attention and convey a
message with the ultimate reaction from the viewer being to make a purchase.
These short commercial type videos are often referred to as Concept videos. Their goal is to make
the viewer connect with the video in an emotional way, as this is what will spur the person into
making a buying decision.
The next form of video that will help build your business is referred to as an Explainer video.
These are videos which explain how a product works and why you need it or they explain a
particular service in detail.
Explainer videos which have been shown to work well are those which include cartoon type
characters and infographics. This type of video should run for about 1 minute.
Hangout Best Practices
Use the following tips to provide informative Hangouts for your business, your customers and your
viewers.
 Use one topic or idea per Hangout.
 Time your Hangout so that it is long enough to share the information and stay on topic.
 If you are having guests invite them for a trial run before the actual ‘live’ date. This way
any technical issues can be addressed and resolved.
 When uploading to YouTube use descriptive titles and keywords for the topic of your
Hangout so people can easily locate your video.
 Make a point of sharing your Google+ URL and your contact information so if people have
questions later on, they know how to contact you.
 Include the URL for your YouTube video in your emails
While you may only be focusing on using Hangouts at the moment don’t forget to engage people
on your Google+ page. This is where your branding process starts so be sure to use the following
tips for optimal exposure:
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Know what your purpose is and where you are headed with your Google+ page
Complete your profile and add a picture or logo if you are a business
Use keywords in your about page, description, posts and titles
Posting regularly and share in “public”
Get into the habit of commenting, sharing and using the +1 button
Visit and use Hangouts
Join a community and be active or start your own
Keep up to date with changes and improvements to Google+
Case Studies
Let’s take a look at how Hangouts have been used successfully. Hopefully this will provide you
with some additional ideas that you could use for your own business.
National Geographic Celebrates their 125th Anniversary
On this occasion National Geographic decided to host a live Google Hangout. By using a little
creativity they invited guests to their event. What they did was invite people from all 7 continents
so each one was represented. This did two things 1) it gave them the potential to increase their
reach around the world and 2) it showcased just what a little creative planning can do.
Obviously this was a long event and ran over an hour. The producers at National Geographic
edited the replay version so it was only 15 minutes long and showcased the highlights of the
event. More people are likely to view the 15 minute version than the full one hour. The editing
removed any slow moments or lulls in the broadcast so the end product was a lively broadcast.
Hangout Interview Series from Jason Matthews
Jason Matthews is an indie author who conducts interviews via Hangouts. His YouTube channel
is extremely popular today. Jason regularly interviews various people in the book publishing world.
His interviews last anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes and he airs his show on a weekly basis. He
often holds tutorial type Hangouts with live guests asking questions. Plus all of these videos can
be found on YouTube for years to come providing a source of new lead generation.
Sponsored Hangouts
At the time of writing there are no advertisements on Google+ Hangouts, but if you are creative
you can look into making money while hosting one. Case study in question is for Glamour
magazine.
What the folks at Glamour magazine did was to launch a weeklong series of Hangouts. Each
session involved chatting with celebrities and readers from their magazine. During the Hangout
products were featured from sponsors such as Pantene and L’Oreal. See if there is a brand that
you might be able to team up with to create some additional revenue.
This method has potential once you start attracting a large audience to your Hangouts.
New York Times
The New York Times decided to host Hangouts which featured Olympic athletes in 2012. They
allowed their readers to submit questions to be asked to each athlete during the live event. This
helped engage viewers to be active during the event and has proved to be a valuable resource
for the paper. They have been able to create loyal followers by providing regular interactive
Hangouts. Plus they embed the video into their website for those who couldn’t attend the live
event.
Cadbury
Cadbury spends a lot of time and energy of their marketing and they make great use of their
Google+ account. They have hosted lots of Hangouts and had one that reached 500,000
followers. In another Hangout they allowed participants to ask questions to Rebecca Adlington,
an Olympic Swimmer.
Cadbury also created a Hangout called Tasters Circle where invited members were allowed to
chat with a Cadbury product developer. They were asked to give insights and opinions on their
own preferences for chocolate and got to taste samples all during a live event.
BakeSpace
BakeSpace is a Los Angeles based digital publishing platform for cooks. This company is known
as a Google+ success story. They now have over 360,000 people in their Circles on their Google+
page. In Facebook they only have 14,000 Likes on their page.
The founder of BakeSpace says that she got fed up with paying for advertising on Facebook and
it was difficult to try and constantly figure out their News Feed algorithm. The company has also
been featured as a suggestion in Google Plus’s Food and Drink Section.
Hangout Giveaways
How about giving a prize away after your Hangout? The prize doesn’t have to be large and you
can even offer coupon codes and discounts to everyone. Simply create a coupon code and
announce it at the end of the Hangout as a thank you for attending gift. You can even add an
expiry date to the coupon to encourage people to use it quickly.
People love giveaways and for a business owner they work because:
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They can drive lots of traffic to your Hangout
Allows people to test your product or service
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When people are given something they tend to want to return the favor at some point
If you decide to giveaway a larger product or service after your event you will want to promote
your event across the various social media outlets beforehand. You could even run a Press
Release announcing your event with the subsequent giveaway.
Ensure that the item you are giving away relates to your topic and is suitable for your attendees.
Don’t forget to publicize your giveaway on your Google+ stream and post it as an event.
After your giveaway announce who won the prize as this provides proof of your actions.
Use this site to announce your Hangout: http://gphangouts.com/
Go Behind the Scenes in Your Business
Have you thought about going behind the scenes in your business and allowing people to see
what goes on? This allows people to get to know you and your company in more depth and gives
them a feeling of belonging to an elite group.
You could even advertise your Hangout as a Backstage Pass. People love to be treated as special
and what better way than to let them see what you do.
This type of Hangout could be run as a live event so create a fun graphic announcing the
countdown to the Backstage Pass. When you do go live try to get your personality to shine through
and don’t forget to interact with your audience.
Provide your audience with tips and insights into how you create or find products. If you run a
catering business showcase how you cook a popular item and get it ready for your customers.
This will help you brand your business and gain trust and respect from potential clients.
Conclusion
After reading this content you should be filled with excitement and expectations. Just think of what
you can do for your business by incorporating Hangouts into your business plan!
Create short entertaining videos that help brand your business and your products or services.
Start by holding regular Hangouts where you take questions from the audience and try giving
away a discount or small gift to your viewers.
The great thing about running a live event or Hangout is that people understand that things can
go wrong. This way there is no need to worry if you run into a small glitch or have a slow moment.
Don’t forget you can edit your video afterwards and remove sections.
Always remember to test your equipment before running your first live Hangout. Or you may just
prefer to pre-record your Hangouts and then share the link to the video afterwards. This way you
can invite people to subscribe to your playlists in YouTube and generate a list of interested people
on specific topics.
Thanks again for reading and don’t forget you can connect with me on our main website
www.harrisonkenyon.com
All the best
Susan Harrison