Week in Review - November 28, 2015: Google+, YouTube, Local Businesses and more

Happy Thanksgiving! This week is all about Google+:  tips and updates for the new Google+, the new option to set up a G+-free YouTube channel, and changes to Local Pages. Plus more tips for your Photos, Hangouts, YouTube, Local Businesses and more!

Gobble gobble gobble!

Limited Time

• Google will donate $1 for every purchase made with Android Pay to special needs education projects - and $2 per transaction on Black Friday (Official Android Blog)
• Are you on the dark side or light side? Awaken the Force within! (Google)

Google+

• New! Get your Google+ Collections ready - #FeatureFriday themes for December (Google+ Creators Community)
• Update: Updates to the new Google+ on desktop: 3 column view, reply to comments in context, unlimited number of Circle streams (LukeWroblewski)
• Tip: New Google+ Pro Tip for Circle Users (Eli Fennell)
• Tip: Finding Another Person's Location in the iOS Google+ App (Rupert Wood)
• New! Create a YouTube channel unconnected to Google+ (G+ discussion of my post here)
• Article: Google+ more popular than you think, especially in Asia, Latin America and the Middle East & Africa (globalwebindex.net)

Google and Your Businesses

• New! New Google+ changes for Local Pages FAQ (Google My Business forum)
• New! Free Tools for Generating Google Review Links now that G+ Reviews are Gone (Local Search Forum)
• Tip: Non-Profits: Use YouTube to engage your your present - and future - donors (Google for Nonprofits)
• Local Businesses
• Tip: Business owners: add and manage photos for your Google local business listing in Google My Business (Google Small Business) 
• Tip: Have you been contributing reviews and photos to local business listings? Or suggesting map edits? Join Google Local Guides and get up to Level 4 by December 2 to receive a thank you gift (Google Local Guides)
• Tip: Non-Profits: Use YouTube to engage your your present - and future - donors (Google for Nonprofits)

Google and Your Photos

• Tip: Your Picasa Web Albums Gallery lets you display your Google+ photo albums to the public (G+ discussion of my post here)
• Tip: Business owners: add and manage photos for your Google local business listing in Google My Business (Google Small Business) 

YouTube

• New! Create a YouTube channel unconnected to Google+ (G+ discussion of my post here)
• Event: YouTube Creators: Monetization Boot Camp is calling! Register now to learn more.  (December 7-21) (YouTube Creators)

Hangouts

• Create a customized permanent link to your Hangout Video Call (Craig Long)

Updated March 2019 to remove Google+ links