Google+ hooks into Gmail for social networking via email

Another day, another improvement for Google+, the circle social network from Google — except today’s Google+ update might actually have you spending less time on the social site.

Starting Tuesday, Google+ is getting more fully integrated with Gmail, meaning that users can get more of the social networking experience inside the notification emails they receive from the service.

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With the update, a user that receives a Google+ notification email in Gmail can engage with the content just as he or she would if they were on the site. So, should someone comment on one of your posts, you can view the thread from the notification email, add your comments, dole out +1s, and watch as other responses populate in real-time — without ever leaving the email in question.

The reply functionality (but not the real-time update features) also works on mobile with POP and IMAP email clients. Previously, notification emails redirected users to the Google+ site.

“We’re always working to create a simpler, more intuitive experience for our users, and with today’s changes, we’re excited to take another step in this important direction,” Google software engineer Zohair Hyder said of Tuesday’s announcement.

If anything, the socialized email notifications underscore Google’s long-term Plus strategy: to get people to use all of the company’s web products.

Enhanced notification emails are rolling out to users now and should hit your inbox sometime within the next week, the company said.

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