Add a Placeholder Video to your Hangout on Air's Event Page

As a new user to Google+, one thing that many people find confusing is that an Event page is not the actual Hangout on Air (HOA). I'll often see comments like "Where's the video?" on the event page 2 or 3 days before the actual event.

Many of these users expect the Event page to be like a television station - there's something always playing, but they're show will start at the advertised time. To help educate visitors, I created this video which I place in my Event's YouTube URL:

Now the visitors know to tune in at the scheduled time to see the live HOA.

Other things you could do:

• create a "commercial" with your participants that will explain what they can expect when they tune in at the proper time
• run a related video
• run a cartoon or movie
• run your favourite music video

If you want to create your own video, one of the easiest ways is to use YouTube's Slideshow tool. You can create slides in your favourite graphics editor (or PowerPoint), save them as files and upload them. (Tip: use music from YouTube's library so your video won't get pulled for infringement). Or create something in a movie editor and upload.

Easier still, just link to the video I created and paste it into your Event!

For more information be sure to read Clearing up the Confusion of Google Events and Hangouts on Air (HOAs).

Use Custom Graphics for Link Placeholders Added in Youtube

When you're doing a Hangout on Air (HOA), you may want to direct your viewers to other videos on the web. Unfortunately, you can only add active links to your video after you've completed your HOA. Once it's been archived, you can use the Annotations tool in YouTube to add text and links. 

+Ronnie Bincer uses a great technique where he will point his finger in the air where he will later put in the link. When I tried this method, however, I always pointed to the wrong side of the screen (it looked correct to me, but in playback was not). I also often had trouble finding the location where I wanted to place the links because I tend to wave my hands around and would mistake that for pointing.

My solution: create graphics that I could load up when I wanted to refer to a link. I named the graphics something like Banner 1 (only 1 banner on the left side) and Banner 2 (2 banners). Banners were easy to find and I never got confused which side to put it on.

To do this, you use the Lower Thirds App from the Hangout Toolbox.

1. Start a Google Hangout (you don't need to invite anyone else).
2. Launch the Hangout Toolbox (if it's not available on the left, select if from the View more apps at the bottom).
3. Select the first tab from the toolbox (see Step 1). This is where you create your lower thirds (be sure to check out +Ray Hiltz tutorial on using lower thirds).
4. Select the Choose File button underneath Custom Overlay and navigate your graphic  (see Step 2).  Upload the file.
5. Click the on switch to the right of Custom Overlay. Your graphic will now appear on your screen.
6. Add a name for the graphic in the field below Presets and hit save  (see Step 3).  The present and graphic will be added to the list below.
7. Repeat for the second graphic.

You can see it in action in the short video below.

You can create your own graphic or you use the ones I've provided. Just right-click and each image and save to your desktop.

Clearing up the Confusion of Google Events and Hangouts on Air (HOAs)

Creating a Hangout is so simple but when it comes time to tie it to a Google+ Event to promote it, the simplicity breaks down. Many people seem to think there is some magic connection between the two. The first thing you need to understand:

Google+ Events and Hangouts On Air are 2 separate things

The Event is an invitation to an activity; the Hangout is something that happens at the activity.

Let's try this analogy: I'm going to host an Oscars party where everyone is invited to come and watch the awards being given out. When you get the invitation, it tells you where and when. Do you care what channel we're going to be watching it on? No. As long as it's on the screen when you get there, you're going to be happy.

Remember, an Event can be something online (i.e. Hangout/HOA) or an activity with a physical location (BBQ, concert, etc).

So let's explore the process step by step:

1. From your Google+ page, select Events from the left side and then select Create Event from the top right (red box)
2. Enter your basic information (name, address if applicable, date/time, details)
3. If this is going to be an online activity (like a Regular Hangout or a Hangout on Air) select Advanced from the Event Options.
   
   Note: Selecting Google+ Hangout will place a link for a Regular Hangout into your invitation. Selecting Make this an event on air will NOT provide you with a link - it only ensures that your event is viewable to the public (i.e. everyone).
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. After selecting Make this an event on air, click on Show additional fields. Take a look at the extra fields you'll now see.
   
   
   
   
   
   Notice the YouTube link - you can place any YouTube video here. For my Oscars party, I placed the 2013 Oscars promo video. This is optional, and you don't have to use. Eventually, at the time of your HOA, this is where you'll put the link to your HOA.
   
   Note: The extra fields are available to you regardless if you select the Hangout/HOA option or not.
5. Add people to your Event. If you're planning to use this as a HOA, Public will already be selected (remember, a HOA is available to everyone). Public means EVERYONE in your circles will receive an invitation to the event and it can be shared!

So, your invitations have been sent out. To take full advantage of your communications, you'll post this at least a week in advance so it can be shared throughout your circles (and hopefully be shared and reposted). Your Event page becomes your "landing page" for where people can read about the details of the event and at the proper time and place, watch your HOA. It also becomes your communications hub, where people can leave comments/questions and you can reply to them.

The Big Day - Your Hangout On Air

Here's the second most important point:

You will get the URL for the HOA when you actually start it!

This is an important difference between Regular Hangouts and HOAs. Regular Hangouts aren't being recorded or streamed, so you can create a regular Hangout in the future and the link is automatically available and functioning. HOAs are streamed live and recorded using your YouTube account and are created when you start a HOA.

So, you used your Event to invite people to watch your stream. You would then use the Hangout to invite those who you want to participate in your HOA as your online guests (you would usually do this 15 - 30 minutes before your show is scheduled to start). When you start your HOA, you are not automatically broadcasting. You would use this time before you broadcast to get your guests on board and to updated your Event page with the URL for the HOA.

Let's go through the steps for that.

1. Select Start a Hangout (you can do this from your Google+ main page or from the Hangouts page.
2. Add the individuals you want to be part of your HOA (i.e. your on-air guests).
3. Give your HOA a proper name. This will be the name of the archived video in your YouTube channel.
4. Check off  Enable Hangouts on Air.
5. Start your Hangout.
   
   
   
   
   
6. At the top of the page, select Embed. This will provide you with html code to place on your web site as well as the URL for the live stream (once the HOA is completed, this same URL will link to the archived version).
   
   
   
   
   
7. Copy the YouTube URL.
   
   
   
   
   
8. Go back to your original Event page and place your cursor in the details area (you'll have to do this in a separate window from the actual Hangout). A pencil will appear beside the title - click on this to edit the Event's details.
   
   
   
   
   
   
9. In the YouTube field, paste in the URL for your HOA and save.
   
   
   
   
   On your Event page your viewers will see an empty black YouTube window. Once you select the Broadcast button, you'll see a 10 second count down and then your show will begin. At that time, the empty window on your Event page will be replaced with a live stream of your HOA.

When your show is complete and you've clicked on the button to complete your broadcast, YouTube will begin the process of archiving your video to your YouTube stream. Once that's complete, the video on your Events page will now point to the archive version automatically.

Advanced Tips and Tricks

The instructions above are intended to help you through the process of getting an HOA going, but there are lots of other actions you can take to ensure a successful Hangout:

• learn how to moderate comments so you can take questions while on-air
• post the YouTube link to your HOA in the comments or update the details to include it (mobile devices can't see the video displayed on your events page, but they can watch it through their Youtube app)
• learn how to add a lower third to your video to display your name
• if possible, have one person act as the producer to handle switching/comments while another person acts as the host
• PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE

For other common tips and practices, search for #HOAtips or #hangouttips or check out the great section of videos by +Ronnie Bincer 

Using Google Presentations in a Hangout

Created January 8, 2013 by Trevor Beck and Ronnie Bincer

Using Presentations

Setup before starting your hangout

1. From Google Drive (not the Google Drive for Hangouts tool) open your presentation document (typically will open in a new tab).
2. Move new tab (Presentation) into a new browser window.
3. Using the dropdown menu (Present) in the upper right, select “Present with Speaker Notes”.
4. Resize the presentation window to remove any black bars (optional).

Once the hangout has started and you’re ready to give your presentation:

1. Select Screenshare App from within the Hangout window.
2. Select the presentation browser window to share.
3. Bluebox yourself to keep your presentation window front even when others speak.
4. Use the speaker notes window to drive the presentation forward by clicking on the thumbnail for the next slide.

Note: this will provide you with a browser window that will allow you to display your presentation, as well as open additional tabs to surf the web. Any tabs opened on this window will be viewable through the screenshare.

Tips:

• you can adjust the size of the fonts for the speaker notes using the minus and plus signs at the top right of the Speaker Notes window. Or you can start the speaker notes at a larger size to begin with.
• for a more focused presentation, you can present the window without tabs by selecting “Present in new window” first.
• you can resize the slide window to a smaller size to give you more room on your desktop. Caution: this may slightly affect the displayed content size in the hangout.
• if you add animation to objects or transitions between slides that are set to appear on click, you can click on the thumbnail in the speaker notes. Do not advance by using the slide numbers drop-down menu below the thumbnails.
• your cursor will be visible to your audience (it’s a screenshare). Place your cursor away from the window if you don’t want it visible. (Could be a Bonus... for pointing to things in the live presentation... like a laser pointer). If you do utilize the pointer as part of the presentation, then use your Arrow Keys to advance the presentation.
• if you are presenting by yourself through Hangouts on Air (HOA), your screenshare will automatically display at full screen (no filmstrip will be visible to your audience). If there are other participants in the HOA, you can achieve the same effect of full screen by video-muting the participants’ video thumbnails in the filmstrip (Cameraman technique).
• remember to bluebox yourself/your screenshare so that others can talk without interrupting the display
• participants using mobile devices will be able to view the screenshare - they cannot collaborate on documents within the Hangout.
• remember not to use fast transitions for slides and objects (minimum of 2 seconds)
• if using your mouse as a pointer, make it larger
• Macs: System Preferences → Accessibility → Display
• Windows: Control Panel → Hardware and Sound → Devices and Printers → Mouse

#hangouttips #hangouts #googledriveinhangouts

Associated videos:

1. Google Drive Hangout App is NOT for Presentationshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Zgd8ZXYz10
2. Using Google Presentations in a Hangout or HOAhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SD-UqlC8CuI
3. Summary with Q & A for Presentations in a Hangout or HOAhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jb4ljgq77lE

The Google Drive Hangout App is NOT for Presentations

Discover the proper way to use the Hangout App for Google Drive

Using Google Drive Documents inside a Hangout has a lot of value, but it is not very useful if you are trying to do a presentation to a group within the hangout or to a group watching it from the outside. The main problem is everyone in the hangout can open up their own version of the document and may be at a different place than the ‘leader’ or ‘presenter’ is. We have some great ideas on how to utilize Google Drive docs as a presentation method which will be shown in our example HOA/video.

What the Hangout App called Google Drive is really quite useful for is online collaboration inside the hangout. Inside a hangout, you can have a virtual meeting where each party involved can brainstorm, discuss, etc. and get those thoughts into a shared document all at the same time in the same meeting.

If you're any kind of a power user of Google Docs (i.e. Google Drive), you know about the power of collaboration. Your document lives in "the cloud" (i.e. Google Drive) and is only available to you. However, by "sharing" your document, you can assign specific rights (view, comment or edit) to individuals. Now a group of people can work on a document together - either at the same time or at a time convenient for the individual (how to set up document sharing: http://goo.gl/DnLsg).

If you understand this, then it's easy to see the purpose of the Google Drive tool within Hangouts - it allows you to *edit* collaboratively within a Hangout. You basically see the same window, except it’s within the Hangout. With Google Drive for Hangouts (GDH), you choose from the files you have access to that you want to work on with the participants of your Hangout. Just like working on a document together from Google Drive (web app) you can see changes being made in real time *if you're both looking at the same page*. This is where the confusion comes in.

Let's assume we're both working on a Google word processing document in a Hangout. By default, it opens on the first page and as I make changes, you see it happen in real time. Same thing goes for a spreadsheet or presentation. However, we can actually work on different parts of the document at the same time. With word processing, I could be editing on page 2 while you’re adding new text on page 5. However, because the default view for both of us is page 1, we can’t see the edits happening.

This is why many people are confused about using the presentation tool. When GDH is loaded, we both see slide 1. Here again, we could both be working on different slides. However, you’ll also notice there’s no way to actually view it as a presentation within the Hangout - the purpose of GDH is to *edit* the document collaboratively.

So, is there a way to present a presentation? Yes there is and we’re working on instructions on how to do that and will be presenting that very soon.

#googledrive #hangouttips #hangouts #googledriveinhangouts #HOA