Google+ is still trying to find its niche as an alternative to Facebook, with mixed results. But the company announced a series of enhancements to Google+ today, hoping to boost the appeal of its fledgling social network for corporate users, trend watchers and photography fans.
The company opened Google+ to Google Apps users, giving corporations the option of turning on the service for their users. See details in this Google Enterprise blog post.
Separately, the Google added a new feature called Google+ Ripples, a tool for visualizing how conversations and content spread across the social network. See details in the video above. To access the feature, select “View Ripples” from a public post.
And finally, the company rolled out what it’s calling the Google+ Creative Kit, a series of editing tools and photo effects with roots in the company’s acquisition of Seattle startup Picnik. (Note: GeekWire investor Jonathan Sposato was Picnik’s CEO and now works as a Google executive overseeing photography initiatives.)
Google is promoting the new feature by transforming its executives’ Google+ profile pictures for Halloween. See the video below for more.
