Google Hangouts were made to take advantage of the best of both video and social media, by creating a platform where you and your audience can interact and educate. Unlike most traditional webinar platforms it has the advantage of being near immediate, very interactive, widely accessible and on top of that free.
Not only that, they’re free of charge. This makes it easy to choose to adopt Hangouts at least in part for your business, but the question remains, how? What ways are there to best incorporate this platform into my marketing mix easily and quickly?
If you haven’t already thought about using Google Hangouts for your business, here’s 3 reasons why you should.
3 Uses of Google Hangouts in your Business
Great alternative to webinars – Small businesses often can’t afford the expense of using services like GoToWebinar, which can run you over of $500 a month if you have large audiences. Hangouts are free, drop-dead easy to start, and don’t require an elaborate tech setup. What’s more, Google will record it all for you and send it to your YouTube account when you’re done. Hangouts are an easy way to hold a “webinar” without the expense and expertise required of other platforms.
Showcase your business – Hangouts are a very simple way to get the word out about your business, showcase products and services, and even conduct a product launch. Introducing your business to a new market segment, neighborhood or audience is also a terrific use of the platform. The viral aspect to using a Hangout in association with your social media channels, especially Google+ is an excellent way to extend far beyond your own reach.
Customer engagement and service – The best feature of Google Hangouts as it pertains to a small business is the capacity to connect with your audience in a very personal hands-on fashion that will lend itself greatly to your efforts to brand yourself in your market as a leader. Furthermore, using a Hangout as a customer service tool, like holding a tutorial on how to best use one of your products, goes a long way toward establishing good will and social proof for your business.
