Last Monday, Jan. 14th, social media marketing passionistas gathered from around the globe to discuss how to use Google’s Hangouts on Air. This week the guest expert warming her buns in the hot seat was the lovely Debbie Horovitch (@Sparkle_Agency). Debbie created Sparkle & Shine after 15 years working with Toronto advertising agencies as a Media Manager in traditional advertising media – strategist, planner and negotiator of paid advertising media space on behalf of clients – from Canadian, American and international television, radio, newspaper, magazine, outdoor, online and Google/Bing paid advertising campaigns.
And now the #SocialChat Hangout How-To
Q1 @Sparkle_Agency What is the difference between a Hangout and a Hangout on Air?
Debbie: Basically, a Hangout is a video get-together on the Google+ social network. A Hangout “on Air” is broadcast live and on YouTube. ALL Hangouts are limited 10 people at a time, but Hangouts on Air can have UNLIMITED viewers live & archive on YouTube. I saw a CERN scientists G+ Hangout a few weeks ago! Google+ can get really freaky geeky
Q2 @Sparkle_Agency How do you set up a Hangout on Air (HOA)?
Debbie: The “Start a Hangout” button is always there on your profile/page, so “On Air” is option is check box. You also have to just connect your YouTube channel to your Google+ which is easy since Google owns both.
Q3 @Sparkle_Agency What features are included with a Hangout on Air?
Debbie: A Hangout on Air is brilliant because most people CAN’T upload longer than 15 minutes to YouTube, unless it’s a Hangout on Air. Also I like Hangouts on Air because the archived video “talk show” (panel) can be up to 3 hours long, live & immediately uploaded to YouTube. I like to hangout with my professional peers, AFTER on-air we stay & chat. But I wouldn’t say I’ve ever used regular Hangouts or Hangouts on air for “personal” – too easy to lose control of spread.
Pro Tip: There are several apps available for hangouts that can add a layer of production value to your hangout. One of our favorites is the Toolbox. You can add lower thirds graphics to your video feed, pull in a twitter search to the margin of your hangout window, and even throw in some fun sound effects.
Q4 @Sparkle_Agency How do you embed a Hangout on Air to a blog?
Debbie: When you start the Hangout, with the “On Air” box checked, on the top of the screen is “embed code.” You can only get embed code once you’ve started the Hangout, so I start my hangouts 30 minutes early to grab video steam live as you record, in the embed. It’s not easy for people to find my Hangout ON G+, so I send to my blog.
Q5 @Sparkle_Agency What are some of the ways a Hangout on Air can be used?
Debbie: I always saw myself as a media empire guru (like Oprah), so when I saw Hangouts I KNEW that would be a channel to try. I use hangouts for consulting clients, for team meeting, for training (screensharing), to build Google SEO, and to have TV show free production & LONG-form video on YouTube with no editing needed.
Tonight at 9:00 PM Eastern, Annalise Kaylor (@annabelleblue), Social Media Director for Intrapromote, will be walking #SocialChat participants through all of the other features of Google +.
