Gmail people widget now allows brands to promote Google+ profiles and posts

Google has introduced a new feature for its Gmail people widget that enables businesses to highlight their Google+ profiles and latest Google+ posts within customers' inboxes.

After having signed in, Gmail users can follow the brands' Google+ page from within the e-mail, without needing to visit Google+. The widget shows information culled from the business’s Google+ page, including the logo and recent Google+ activity, alongside opened Gmail messages originating from the business’s domain name.

Google says the updated widget allows brands to boost their Google+ following by prompting users right from Gmail. The widget also boosts visibility of Google+ posts. To appear in the new Gmail widget, businesses or organization needs is a verified Google+ page and digitally-signed emails. Learn more about the widget here

“Today we're expanding the +Gmail people widget to include brands and businesses (http://goo.gl/wx2mI), making it easier for your customers to connect with you on Google+. This way, when people receive emails from your domain, they can follow your Google+ page directly from their inbox! Your recent Google+ posts can also appear in the widget (alongside your email message), helping customers find and engage with your content,” says Google+ Your Business team in a post.

Google recently introduced a new dashboard for businesses and Google+ page owners that aims to make it easier to manage online presence. The new dashboard allows users to manage their activities around Google tools through a single platform. Read more about the update to Google+ Dashboard here.


Source: http://www.thinkdigit.com/Apps/Gmail-people-widget-now-allows-brands-to_15016.html

Google updates Gmail, allows adding Label, Star from Compose box

Google has been updating its Gmail web client for quite some time now. The recent update brought in ability to compose a new mail with a new pop-up method, improved search engine and deeper integration with Google+ social networking site. Google kicks off 2013 with yet another round of updates to its Gmail services.

The new update allows users to add Labels and Stars to the message from the new compose feature. Gmail users can do this by clicking on the More options menu in the bottom right and hovering over Label. Earlier, users needed to first send the message and then go to their Sent folder to access the message sent, open it and then could add a Label or a Star to the mail.

Google had launched the new Compose feature in October last year. The feature is available as an option from users' inbox.

“How many times have you been writing an email and had to reference something in another message? Saving a draft, opening the old email, and then reopening your draft wastes valuable minutes. The new compose pops up in a window, just like chats (only larger),” Google's product manager Phil Sharp had said while announcing the new feature.

“This makes it easy to reference any other emails without ever having to close your draft. You can even do a search or keep an eye on new mail as it comes in. And because the compose window works the same way as chats, you can write multiple messages at once and minimize a message to finish it later.”

Source: http://www.thinkdigit.com/Internet/Google-updates-Gmail-allows-adding-Label-Star_13041.html

Google+ rolls out Communities feature; grows to 135 mln active users

Google has ceaselessly worked to improve its social networking venture Google+ and increase the user engagement on the site. Google's latest effort to ramp up Google+ comes in the form a new 'Communities' feature. With Communities, Google+ users can join/create groups devoted a particular set of interest such as work project, photography, soccer team and so on.

"Today we're launching two new improvements that help bring the nuance and richness of real-life sharing to software," Google's senior vice president, Vic Gundotra, said in a blog post. Communities allows Google+ users to create "permanent homes for all the stuff you love ... the wonderful, the weird, and yes, even the things that are waaay out there," Gundotra added.

Google+ Communities gives users public or private membership for people looking for a platform to share their opinions with other like-minded users. Discussion categories can be of any topic a user wants to create. Google has also integrated the option to start Hangouts, plan events with fellow users and share/recommend a favourite community by clicking the +1 button.

You can spot the new “Communities” icon as a green circle with three floating heads. The roll-out is in its initial stage right and if you are looking to be part of any network, you'll be glad to know there's already National Geographic's Exploration, Liverpool FC Fans, and the Star Wars group. Google will be making the feature available on mobile devices very soon.

Despite allegations of Google+ being a ghost town, Google says its social networking service has shown signs of sustained growth. The service has now more than 135 million monthly active users, up from 100 million registered in September.

“We have a momentum story,” says vice president Brad Horowitz. “We're absolutely thrilled by the adoption and uptake,” he said, adding that Google+ features—such as the “+1” button, which is similar to Facebook’s “Like” button—increasingly have been embedded in other parts of Google, including its search engine and business listings.

According to Google, such integrations have a huge impact with 235 million people per month now use Google+ features across all Google sites, up from 150 million in late June.

Launch of Google+ Communities comes along with roll-out of an Android version of the popular Snapseed photo app from Nik Software, which Google had taken over in September. The Android app comes with the ability to share your creations via Google+ and other services.

Also dubbed as Instagram-competitor, the Snapseed app is now also available for free on Apple's App Store. Read more about the launch of Snapseed photo app for Android here. In the meanwhile, check out video below where Google illustrates its new Communities feature.

 Source: http://www.thinkdigit.com/Internet/Google-rolls-out-Communities-feature-grows-to_11665.html

Google+ custom URLs start rolling out

Few weeks ago Google had unveiled custom URL service for Google+ profiles and pages, taking on vanity URLs offered by Facebook. And now Google has expanded the service to more brands and verified individuals.

Users, part of the roll-out, will see a notification on the top of the homepage that says, “your page is preapproved for the custom URL: google.com/CUSTOM followed by a Claim URL button that you’ll certainly want to push.” Such users will also be notified via an email to prompt them about claiming theirs.

It's notable the custom URLs service does not let you pick your own URL, but you can seek a different one. Google says once you select your custom URL, you cannot change or transfer it.

“We’re making these changes over the next few days, and we’ll be offering custom URLs to many more profiles and pages in the future. We appreciate your patience in the interim, and we look forward to hearing your feedback,” says Saurabh Sharma from the Google+ team.

Earlier, Google+ custom URLs rolled out to a limited number of 'verified' users. Google revealed that few celebrities such as David Beckham and pop singer Britney Spears, along with brands like Toyota, Delta, and Hugo Boss have already received the custom URLs.

In another Google+ news, the social networking site is now going to get new notification controls. Users can now “mute” notifications on their profile. Moreover, users can subscribe for e-mail alerts for updates on certain Circles they want to.

"For these select circles, we often have news we really want to share — like getting engaged, or landing a job," Austin Chang from the Google+ team, wrote in a post. "In these cases you can now check 'Also send email' when sharing, to help make sure your friends see your message."

Source: http://www.thinkdigit.com/Internet/Google-custom-URLs-start-rolling-out_10560.html