Life of Google+ posts now extended through your followers' +1 activity

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The Google+ Team has just announced an update to the platform that will expand the reach of your posts and hopefully increase engagement. Now select posts that your followers +1 will show to their followers as "activity updates".
Example of a +1 activity update card
Over the next few days, the Google+ Team is rolling out an update that will highlight posts as an "activity update" that are being +1ed but might not make it to the What's Hot list of popular posts. Depending on your settings, when you +1 a post, it has the ability of it possibly being highlighted as an activity update in the Stream of those that have you in circles. When the post appears (like the one above taken from the mobile app), it will say who +1ed the post to cause it to appear in their stream, and it will be accompanied by a button to add that person to their circles.

Control Activity Updates

Activity updates will only be shown to those that could have seen it in the first place. Which means, if your post is originally only shared with a certain circle, the post can not appear to them on your profile (as before) or in their Stream even if as a highlighted post. 

Of course, you may not want your +1 activity to be highlighted for all of your followers to see even on public posts. The Google+ team gives you this control! Simply visit your Google+ settings and change it under "Apps and activities" to only certain circles, individuals, or no one. Currently, this option may not be there; however, it is rolling out over the next few days so keep a close eye on it. As the update rolls out, the setting will automatically be set to "extended circles."

Unfortunately, there isn't a way to take highlighted posts specifically out of your Stream. However, if one or multiple circles is having too many highlighted posts, then you can simply turn down the volume of posts or turn it of from Home all together.

The Value of Activity Updates

For those trying to extend the reach of their posts including businesses and individuals building a personal brand, activity updates are going to be great! Activity updates can turn into a miniature What's Hot to assist in putting a post and brand in front of more users. It can also help to increase followers, especially with the "add to circles" button accompanying all activity update posts.

For individuals looking for quality content and content creators, activity updates will be great too! You'll receive recommendations from those in your circles as to great content being created on Google+ by other users. It may even lead you to find a little known Google+ user doing great things!

What are your thoughts on the new activity update posts? Let us know in the comments below!