Introducing Google+ Events — Changing the Way We Share and Connect

Day one of Google’s I/O Conference and we’re already seeing some incredible innovation from the internet giant. Perhaps most noteworthy to our industry is Google+ Events, a new feature of the company’s social networking platform, Google+.

At first glance, Google+ Events looks very similar to a Facebook event page offering space to share event information, attendee lists, and photos – there’s even room to write on “the wall”.

Your basic event page?

Far from it.

We always talk about “the small things” that make the experience that much better and that’s exactly what Google has focused on.

Beautiful Graphics

Part of creating an event (as we did prior to writing this post) is selecting a cover photo for the top three inches of the page. You can upload your own image or select from a gallery provided by Google. But the photos Google offers are nothing to glance over in favor of your own. It took a few minutes for us to actually notice but the cover photos are animated creating a truly unique visual experience. Look closely and you can actually see leaves blowing in the wind and shadows slowly crossing a field.

It’s a small, almost unnecessary, aspect of the page; however, considering it caught our attention and wow-ed us for those few seconds, it obviously has the desired effect.

Party Mode

It appears Google+ Events has a strong focus on sharing photos at events.

When Party Mode is enabled, everyone attending the event can upload photos to the page in a matter of seconds allowing for greater sharing capability – a great way to create that community experience. Photo overload? Perhaps, but still a great option!

Deep Integration

What really sets Google+ Events apart from other social network event pages is the deep integration with Google’s existing products.

 Upon receiving an invite to a Google+ Event, invitees are prompted to the event page in order to respond to the invite. It’s then possible to view one’s schedule from the event page so you can see your up-to-date calendar without having to click away. Once confirmed, all the information is displayed beautifully on your calendar.

YouTube, yet another one of Google’s various platforms, integrates nicely allowing videos to be posted with ease.

Yes, other sites can integrate calendars and videos easily but the smooth, seamless experience of Google+ Events is quite remarkable and worth taking a look.

So what does this all mean? How will it influence our industry? Will Google+ Events go beyond social gatherings into professional events and conferences? These are fun and exciting times in the event technology industry, what new technology will you take advantage of?

Check out Google’s blog post on Google+ Events.