10 Top Tips for Using Google+

Throughout the summer, we’ve been sharing 10 simple tips for utilizing Google+ over at Creative Sandbox. We know our agency partners juggle a lot at once, between the RFPs and last-minute campaign launches, traffic reports and research studies -- and we’ve been on the lookout for ways that Google+ can make your day a little easier.

You can check out today’s final post on Google+ -- and we wanted to share the full list here:

Get inspired

• Follow interesting people -- See what industry experts, colleagues, peers and competitors -- as well as celebrities, photographers and your friends -- are sharing publicly. Check out these suggestions: google.com/+/whotofollow
  
  


• Host focus groups -- Get immediate feedback and insights from consumers via a Hangout. Have a face-to-face conversation online, as if you were in the same room.
  
  


• See how your work gets shared -- See the earned media effects of a campaign by entering a URL or YouTube video into Ripples, which show how posts are shared and reshared on Google+. 
  
  


• Review portfolios -- Can’t visit every job fair? Host a Hangout to give live feedback on advertising and marketing students’ work. Announce ahead of time on your Page.

Make communication easy

• Meet with clients -- Connect with your clients on a Hangout to review new initiatives, get feedback on creative or even hold a planning meeting. Utilize Screenshare or Google Docs to jointly view proposals.
  
  


• Manage projects -- Trying to keep everyone informed on your most recent project? Keep the team in the loop by creating a Circle just for everyone involved.
  
  


• Communicate with clients -- Organize your contacts by client or even industry in Circles so you can share insights with the most relevant audience.
  

Build your brand

• Lead the way -- Host a Hangout On Air featuring influencers in your agency to shine a spotlight on research, share case studies or provide insights on trends.
  
  


• Show and tell -- Have a piece of stellar creative you’ve completed or a great insight you just discovered? Share it on your Page and start a discussion with others who might learn from your experience. 
  
  


• Be seen on search -- Give your stamp of approval to articles, videos and research that you would recommend with the +1 button. Your friends will see your recommendations when they search.
  

Want more? Download the full booklet and share it with your coworkers -- or even hang it at your desk! And if you have your own tips and tricks for using Google+ as an agency, share them today over at Creative Sandbox with hashtag #g+toptips.

Posted by Becky Bowman, Google+ for Business

Agile Creativity: 7 Tech-Inspired Tips

There's no question that technology has fundamentally transformed the business of advertising. We think the really exciting changes come when we are able to re-imagine not just the ads themselves, but the whole process of conceiving and developing them. The "Mad Men" of the future will not only be fluent in technology, but also in the evolving, highly adaptable, "launch and iterate" style that has become the signature of Silicon Valley.

Developed in close partnership with ad industry executives, Agile Creativity is a playbook that agencies can use to brainstorm ways to be faster and more collaborative in their organizational structures and creative processes. Explore the best practices.

Last week we hosted a G+ Hangout on Air “Coders and Creatives: 2 Angles on Agility” featuring Google engineers and ad executives. The discussion centered around new models of collaboration, how creativity can thrive in a condensed timeline, and the power of prototyping both products and ideas. If you missed it, watch the highlights video. If you’d like to see the full 50-minute hangout, head here.

Also, check out Ad Age’s article on Agile Creativity for more information.



Posted  by Torrence Boone, Managing Director of Agency Business Development - Americas