Every day, for many years now, my email inbox has been loaded down with questions that relate to Google, one way or another. Even with my collection of “canned” responses for the most common questions, there’s significant effort involved in dealing with these queries effectively — and I don’t consider simply ignoring them to be an ethical option.
So let’s see if we can leverage some Google 21st century tech in these regards.
Inspired by Google’s own John Mueller’s excellent Webmaster Central video hangouts, I’m experimentally launching a similar live video program (with archived versions available for later viewing on YouTube), that I’m calling “Questions I’m Asked About Google” (QIAAG).
The first of my live QIAAG programs is currently scheduled for this coming Wednesday, June 7, at 10:30 AM PDT (GMT-7, 17:30 UTC). I’m aiming for a half hour length or so, but I’ll be playing it by ear.
The main topic for the debut program is Google Account issues — protection, recovery, problems, solutions, killing off some false rumors, and more regarding these critical gateways to pretty much everything you do with Google. You’re not limited to asking questions on this particular subset of Google-related topics by any means, but this is my primary focus for the first stream.
John provides Google’s answers to webmaster queries mostly related to how webmasters interact with Google for the best search results and avoidance of related problems.
My program is decidedly unofficial. It is not being conducted in concert with Google, and while I have in the past consulted to Google, everything I discuss will of course be based on public information.
That said, when I examine the depth and breadth of the sorts of queries I receive about Google services (everything from Gmail to YouTube and beyond), from Google users who often feel that they have been unable to get answers that they can readily understand from Google itself, I believe my effort may be able to help at least a little bit.
I’ll be doing these programs live (“these” assumes more than one — we’ll see how it goes!) to facilitate interaction with viewers who want to join the live hangouts directly or otherwise submit questions during the program itself. An additional advantage of conducting these live is that this undercuts my natural tendency toward lengthy editing of prerecorded material.
Again, when the live streams end they will be available for later viewing on YouTube. You can view the live or archived programs, or submit questions, without being logged into Google. If you wish to participate in the live hangouts themselves, you must be logged in, of course.
There are several main links involved with these programs.
The link to view the live stream on YouTube at its scheduled time, or the archived version until a few days before the next live stream:
After this link switches to the next live program, the previously archived programs will continue to be available via their native YouTube URLs, at the associated YouTube channel:
https://youtube.com/vortextech
To ask Google/YouTube/etc. questions at any time (including during the live streams), please use the form at:
Prior to shows, you can also email me questions at:
If you with to join in and participate in the live video hangouts, the link is:
This link will go active for the upcoming current hangout very shortly before the show. You can also email me letting me know if you wish to participate.
Please always use these links when possible, since the URLs of the pages to which they actually redirect may be updated at any time.
That’s pretty much the story. The first live stream is definitely subject to scheduling changes if I run into unforeseen problems, though right now the technical logistics seem pretty well nailed down. If there are postponements or other scheduling changes, the main links above will redirect to pages giving more information. The length of these programs, and the scheduling of additional programs going forward, will depend on whether or not they seem to be usefully contributing to helping folks with these Google-related kinds of issues.
I look forward to your participation. Your thoughts, questions, or comments are most welcome. Thanks!
Be seeing you.
–Lauren–