Every day, I hop on a global magic carpet and attempt to interact with millions of people. The ride has allowed me to grow my Google+ following. You can grow yours too if you realize it’s not magic that powers the magic carpet. It’s a human connection.
You probably wouldn’t want to invite 2.6 million people into your home at a moment’s notice, but that’s what I do every day via webcam. Using Google+ Hangouts, a group video chat room, you can grow your Google+ following not only wide but deep because you can interact with people face to face via webcams. Although I didn’t build a network of 2.6 million users overnight, you can quicken the pace by growing a following more deeply rooted in personal connections.
First you should know it’s not about building followers in groups, but instead it’s about building personal relationships with a lot of people. I come from a small town and have always found value in knowing the people with whom I do business, looking in the whites of their eyes. Social media should be more than a text based transaction. Human media is the new layer of social and it’s virtually placing yourself in the same room with someone else. I built my following by using human media to connect with people one on one, face to face via webcam. So don’t expect a wave of followers to swim your way unless you’re connecting with them individually. People may not remember your avatar but they will remember meeting you.
Unless you’re a celebrity with a built in following, your online network isn’t going to come automatically and will be best developed through personal relationships. The deeper those relationships, the more your following will want to share your content. People do business with people they know. People share content from people they know.
You can leverage human media, the new layer of social media, to reduce the physical space between you and your customers and expand a formerly local market into an area with global potential. Any business with an internet connection and a webcam has the ability to increase transactions and collaborations by bringing their customers closer. Don’t have any customers yet? Because Hangouts are attached to Google+, a search and crowd sourcing tool, you have the ability to crowd source an audience or find users interested in your product.
A G+ Hangout is a magic carpet that can take you around the block or around the world in a matter of minutes. This means that via webcam, I’m essentially inviting my followers from around the world to come and sit with me on my virtual front porch. Eye contact even via a webcam is a powerful tool in networking.
And lastly, don’t just host hangouts but join them. The way you meet people and grow your following on Google+ is to join hangouts hosted by other people. Perhaps those hosts are individuals with large social media followings themselves. This also leads to connections with other users, who in turn, may follow you.
Don’t know where to get started with Hangouts? Check out this tutorial on the Veterans United Hangout Hub. Human media can grow your brand by putting a living, breathing person at your virtual storefront.
How will you use your magic carpet to power your business?
