Communication and productivity are important priorities for any HOA Board. It’s important to use any available tools that might be helpful in allowing you to operate more efficiently. Google+ is one that you might want to put on the top of your list, because it can prove extremely useful in so many different ways.

What is Google+?

Google+ is a comprehensive resource—or more like a package of resources. It’s a social networking platform, and a web conferencing system, and a document sharing tool—plus many other things. Essentially, it’s a way for you to bring all of your sharing, collaboration and information resources together in one system that all works together.

How to Use Google+

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Using Google+ to Inform and Engage Homeowners

Google+ is a great way to interact with the residents of your community and keep them informed. It’s very easy to get started:

1. Create a Google+ page for your Board or the Community. It’s similar to a Facebook page and easy to set up. 2. Encourage people to use the “+1” link on your website or page to connect with you on Google+. You can also

search for people on the Google+ site. 3. Create circles. These are groups of people you want to connect with. You can group them according to

categories or functions. For example, you can create a circle of homeowners, volunteers, important community leaders, etc.

4. Share information with your circles, and encourage them to ask questions, submit comments and interact with you and each other.

Note: Information on your Google+ page can be found via Google searches, so this can be a great way to make sure the community (or the public in general) can find out about your news and activities.

Hangouts

• Google+ Hangouts is relatively new, but has already become very popular, thanks to its convenience and array of features. It’s a free group video chat and collaboration service that makes it easy for you to have conversations or conduct meetings in real-time with other people, no matter where all of you are located.

• One of the best things about Hangouts is that it is designed to work well with all of the other Google services you probably already use, like Gmail and Google Docs.

• You can start a Hangout with up to nine colleagues straight from Gmail with a click of a button. Hangouts works on computers, Android and Apple devices, so others can join in from wherever they happen to be at the moment.

• Some of the things you can do with Hangouts include:• Share photos, and can also conduct group video calls. • Watch videos (either those loaded on your computer or ones on YouTube) together, which is great for group

training. • Share your screen(s), making it great for presentations or collaborative projects. It’s also a handy way to

collaborate on spreadsheets, files and other documents in Google Docs. Use can use the SldieShare app to bring in presentations.

• Use SketchUp, a drawing tool that lets you draw in real time. Everyone in the Hangout can participate in the drawing. This is great if you need to create or share a diagram (say, something related to a piece of property or a building).

• Combining the video elements with Google Docs allow you to share documents, brainstorm and edit together in real-time. (This is a great advantage over in-person meetings, where you have to either rely on everyone to take accurate notes—or wait for an “official” copy to be prepared and distributed after the meeting.)

Using Hangouts for Board Business

Your Board frequently has to meet to discuss important issues and conduct business. But it may not always be convenient (and perhaps it’s even impossible) for all Board members to be in the same place at the same time.

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But there is good news. Increasingly, businesses and organizations are finding that—thanks to technology—it is no longer critical for people to be in the same physical location in order to conduct a meeting or other business. Which makes Hangouts the perfect way for you to conduct business even when Board members can’t all be in the same place.

You can also use the Hangouts on Air feature to invite viewers to watch the discussion—either live or later via You-Tube.

Advantages of Hangouts

There are lots of web conferencing and online chat services out there, but Hangouts stands out from the crowd with some valuable advantages.

Clear, crisp video: if you’ve ever tried to have a web video chat, you know that it can sometimes be a frustrated endeavor. Fans of Hangout rave about its video quality, which they say is much better than many other services (where video can often seem fuzzy, clunky or disjointed).

No fancy equipment needed. All you need to start or join a Hangout is a Google account, a webcam and a microphone. (Ideally, all participants will have a webcam so they can take part in the video aspect, but people can join a Hangout using just their phone.)

No cost. One of the best things about Google+ Hangouts, of course, is that it is totally free.

Works with tools you already use. It incorporates well with the rest of the Google family of products. Need to have a private discussion? Hangouts recently added the ability to “break out” of the larger group discussion for a one-on-one private chat.

Using Hangouts for Board Business

Like anything else related to Google (and technology in general) there are constant upgrades, additions and new features. So while there are already many great tools and features, there are constantly more exciting new developments on the horizon.

A new Hangouts standalone app was just released, and it allows you to combine text, photos, live video and other media using your smartphone or portable devices.

Google just unveiled a new look for the Google+ stream, which is basically like your main page of updates and activities. It now has a more exciting (and adaptable) layout, designed to work well with all kinds of devices.

Another new change? Google with now automatically add hashtags to your stream, based on what you are talking about. This lets you see other posts and conversation related to that topic—and helps you connect with others who are discussing the same things.

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About AAM

AAM is one of America’s most-respected Homeowner Association (HOA) management companies. With more than 20 years of community management company experience to our credit and hundreds of associations under management, we are dedicated to creating a better America one neighborhood at a time, starting with yours.

Visit us online at http://www.associatedasset.com to learn more.

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