It doesn’t hurt to maximize your presence one as many social media platforms as possible to expand your brand name. While sending out tweets, providing updates via Facebook or publishing images on Instagram or Tumblr are all effective techniques, there’s also Google Plus. And, more specifically, Hangouts.
Hangouts, if for some odd reason you’re not familiar with, is simply a group video chat feature through Google+ where up to 10 people can converse at the same. The viewing is also open to as many people as you or your business wants. You can also save the chat onto YouTube so that people who missed the viewing the first time around can watch it at their own convenience.
Of course, there’s some other perks for Hangouts as well. It’s free and can be a relatively low-cost production to provide for consumers and/or clients. Also, unlike many other social media platforms, it’s extremely interactive since it’s a direct link to you and your online audience.
If you’re still pondering on whether or not to use G+, check out what these nine brands have accomplished with Hangouts.
BakeSpace.com
BakeSpace, a Los Angeles-based a digital publishing platform for cooking enthusiasts to share recipes and chat to celebrity chefs, has been embraced more by Hangouts than Facebook. For example, BakeSpace has more than 50,000 their circles to 13,800 Facebook fans.
National Geographic
When National Geographic celebrated its 125th anniversary, it posted a live Hangout with guests from every continent. A simple, but clever, approach that made it a truly global event.
Coca-Cola
The soda, or pop depending where you live, giant isn’t always on G+, but from time to time Coke will post clips from fans all across the world. For example, there were Hangout events with Coke racing team member and singer Jason Derulo and Mexican pop group Rio Roma. This is a cool way for fans of a product to interact with the ambassadors of the brand.
ASOS
Instead of a live chat, clothing retailer ASOS created more of a webinar that featured ‘Shop-along’ Hangouts with stylists, bloggers and celebrities. Besides providing advice, ASOS sneakily inserted links where consumers could purchase the products being discussed.
Taylor Guitars
Taylor Guitars published a series of Hangouts with singer Daria Musk for several concert and live guitar giveaways. Recently, they even did a sweepstakes with legendary Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi.
Glamour Magazine
Glamour Magazine’s Hangout campaign included staffers, online personalities, and sponsorships from Suave, Pantene, and SlimFast. During the live broadcast, the sponsor’s products were subtly promoted or even the topic of discussion throughout the chat. That’s some ninja-like ad-placements.
Dell
To help, and discuss, its consumers on everything from Windows Server, IT management to even sales calls, Dell has had employees take questions through G+ and Twitter using the hashtag #DellHangout through their own personal personal Google+ pages, which creates a face-to-face discussion with an actual person instead of a faceless brand.
The New York Times
The New York Times has perfected the art of Q&A via Hangouts with Olympic athletes, political pundits, sources, and reporters. Questions come from regular, everyday citizens like me and you, which is some great interaction with people we’d usually not have the chance to chat with.
Cadbury UK
Cadbury is like the Opera of the candy world, meaning that everyone gets chocolate. Members of its Tasters Circle simply had to sign up for a tasting of new-products, and guess what happened next? Cadbury sent three new chocolate bars to everyone who signed up, with nine lucky participants awarded the chance to participate in a live On Air Taste-Off. Genius. The chocolate-makers latest campaign is a Willy Wonka-like golden wrapper give away.
