• New Column Layout: the new design seems to be responsive. Depending on the size of the screen you’re viewing from, you will see either one, two or three columns.
• Chat becomes Hangout: my chat was enabled and I see that it has been changed to make Hangouts within circles much easier.
• Much (MUCH) Bigger Visuals: we all know visuals drive engagement and Google has taken this fact to heart by using big visuals. Not only are the pictures bigger, cover photos for both profiles and business pages have both increased.
• #Hashtag for Content Exploration: my favourite feature! It looks like hashtags are automatically added to your posts and clicking on them will allow you to browse and explore related posts and relevant content.

Overall, I don’t mind this new design although it does feel very Pinterest-y to me. Visual content is huge because I did not see a single post with no picture or video attached.   Scrolling through my feed, I see that certain posts are featured and made bigger than others.  Although shares and engagement do seem to be higher on those posts, not all high engagement posts are featured – I wonder what goes into the algorithm calculations?  I also do like the trending topics and community suggestions as you scroll through the feed, done very tastefully and subtle. From a marketer’s standpoint, the takeaway seems to be this: here is another argument for content marketing with an even higher focus on visual content. Since the objective is to drive content exploration, your updates should have clear messaging that can be easily hashtagged. Google+ just got a whole lot more interesting!

Google announced on Wednesday that it is rolling out a significant redesign for its social networking platform Google+, which will allow users to create a more customized experience on the site.

The company said it will introduce a variety of new features to the site in the next few days, from customizing apps and the navigation bar to more flexibility with profile pages and pictures. In addition, the update introduces a new Explore page that posts what’s interesting and trending across the site.

Google also noted that the social network now boasts more than 170 million users since it’s 2011 launch.

Navigation you can make your own

One of the first things you’ll notice is a new way to get around the stream. Instead of static icons at the top, there’s a dynamic ribbon of applications on the left. This approach comes with lots of perks, but some of our favorites include:

• You can drag apps up or down to create the order you want
• You can hover over certain apps to reveal a set of quick actions
• You can show or hide apps by moving them in and out of “More”

Photo Sharing

Google+ will now offer profile pages that will include bigger photos, like Facebook’s Timeline, and feature a chat list that puts friend’s front and center on your page. Another major update involves how users can navigate around the news stream.

Dedicated Hangouts

Google+ Hangouts also gets a stronger focus in the new design and now there is now a dedicated Hangouts page. It Includes:

• An always-updated list of invitations from the people in your circles
• Quick access to every public and On Air hangout, for those times when you want to meet someone new, or watch a live broadcast
• A rotating billboard of popular hangouts, pro tips and other items you don’t want to miss

Finally, if you are bored with your life you can see what others are chirping about with a new “Explore page” that shows what’s interesting and trending across the network.

According to Google the company is rolling out the new update in the next couple of days.

Original Source: http://googleblog.blogspot.in/2012/04/toward-simpler-more-beautiful-google.html#!/2012/04/toward-simpler-more-beautiful-google.html

Google today launched a new look that features a navigation bar on the left side of the page.

Powered by three Google tools—Universal Search, the Search Options panel and Google Squared—the left-hand side navigation bar provides users with a richer search experience that highlights the most relevant search tools and refinements for any particular query.

For example, the Search Options panel allows users to customize search results by suggesting the tools that are most relevant and helpful to the query. The second tool, Google Squared, which is available on Google Labs, helps users locate and compare entities.

Along with the new left-hand side navigation bar, Google has revamped its look and feel. The company updated its color palette and logo. The new logo is free of the heavy drop shadows and the letters seem brightened up a little. The trademark sign has also been removed.

In a post on the Google blog, VP of Search Products & User Experience Marissa Mayer said “Today’s changes are the latest in our continuing efforts to evolve and improve Google.

“We’ve been testing these changes with users over the past few months, and what we’re launching today reflects the feedback we’ve received.”