Get to Know the New Google

Google is Much More Than Search

Google is proving again and again that they will continue to be a force on the Web.  As a small business owner, I tend to cheer for entrepreneurs and small businesses, not behemoths like Google.  However, as this Web continues to evolve, Google is proving they are very capable at staying in touch with, and occasionally even leading the trends, with the recent introduction of Google Buzz being a prime example.

10 Google Tools You Should Know

1. Gmail

Even if you don't use Gmail regularly, it is handy to have a Web based email service, just in case your server or other email services go down. 

Gmail is more than email.  Your Gmail address is essentially your username into the array of Google's services.  For this reason, get in there and claim usernames that match the ones you are using on the other social services.  In fact, I recommend locking several of them up to have a few spares.

I only use gmail for my Facebook account.  So, all of those notices get read separately when I have stepped out of my business mode, or when the work is done.

2. Google Alerts

You absolutely need to be setting Google Alerts to monitor your company's brand, your personal reputation, and your markets.  I use a few paid Web-monitoring services, but this one is completely free.

3. Google Profile

Your Google Profile is practically a mini-website that brings in the feeds of nearly all of your social media networks, while also providing a profile that helps you to promote you and your business using images, maps, links, and more.  And because Google owns it, it gets ranked high in the search rankings.  Here's my profile to give you an example.

4. Google Buzz

This one is brand new.  Some of us are not sure what to make of Google Buzz.  However, it is becoming apparent that it is an emerging social networking tool that will be a hybrid of Twitter and Facebook. 

This makes perfect sense because while Google has tried to play ball with Facebook, they have largely shut Google out.  What did Google do? They set the stage last year by encouraging all of us to add our social network feeds to our  Google Profiles.  Now they have made a strong link between those profiles and Google Buzz.

What's their plan?  To make Google Buzz your social media hub!  I'm still trying to figure out how it can work, but for now it looks like it is here to stay.

5.  Google Wave

Google Wave was the latest Google tool just before Buzz.  While it has been slow getting off the ground, I'm using it more to collaborate with my tech savvy colleagues.

Brian Birch, an executive with the Snow and Ice Management Association and I are using it to brainstorm for an upcoming webinar we will be doing for Engage365, an online community for increasing awareness, attendance, and effectiveness of conferences and meetings.

I think Google Wave is still in beta and you need an invitation to try it out.  I have some, so if need one just leave a comment on this blog with your email, or somehow get in touch with me and I'll send it to you.

6. Google Docs

Google Docs is another collaborative tool where you share documents.  Many prefer it over Google Wave because it has more structure.  It minimizes emails and makes it easy to ensure everyone is working with the one current version of a document – without confusion.  Being Web-based, you can access your docs from any computer.

There is a good chance that once Brian and I flesh out our webinar outline and move it into a Powerpoint format, we'll take our collaboration over to Google Docs.  You can also create forms in Google Docs to capture data from your blog subscribers that goes right into a spreadsheet.

7. and 8.  Google Reader and iGoogle

Google Reader is the easiest way to manage multiple blog subscriptions without cluttering up you email inbox.  iGoogle is a platform that can host most of these Google services, including Google Reader.  I use iGoogle as my home page because it makes the Reader easier to use.  This blog post explains with videos how to use Google Reader with iGoogle.

9. Google Local Business

This service is a must if you have a physical location where you do most of your business.   As other social networks like Foursquare become less about entertainment and more about functionality, Google Local Business will become even more powerful. 

Here's a post that details how to use Google Local Business to grow you business in tight economies like this one.

10. Google Calendar

There are many other Google services that you may find useful.  I also use Google Calendar, which is Google's ical or web-based calendar that keeps me current with my personal bills.  It has a drop down menu that shows what's coming up so I don't get surprised.  Because it's Web-based, I can send it to my iPhone.

There are many other Google services that you may find useful, such as their Talk, Adwords, Analytics, and Voice.  I foresee big things for Google Voice, which is why I reserved my number months ago.  I just have not yet taken the time to explore its use. 

Needless to say there is a lot Google has to offer.  The main thing is to be aware of what's out there. 

If you don't do anything else, at least snag your preferred gmail addresses while they are still available.  If you operate a business, I would suggest Google Alerts is also on the 'must do' list.

Beyond that, just get familiar with these and know they can really help make your business more transportable by making it more web-based. 

Photo Credit:  href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tashland/259178493/sizes/l/" target="_blank" title="Tools">Tashland