Go to hangouts.google.com and click the hamburger menu in the top left-hand corner. Go to Settings > Customize Invite Settings.

There are two options to choose from – the Recommended settings which would allow people in your circles, people with your phone number, or email address to contact you directly. This setting, however, allows anyone to send you an invitation.

If you’d rather control who can send you an invite, you should choose the Customized settings. You can choose how people who have your phone number or email address can reach you – either by contacting you directly or sending you an invitation.

For everyone else, be sure to choose Can’t send invites if you don’t want to receive invitations from people who follow you on Google+.

You can also select unique settings for contacts in each of your Google+ circles.

Do you have any tips or tricks for Google+? Let us know in the comments.

Nancy is a writer and editor living in Washington DC. She was previously the Middle East editor at The Next Web and currently works at a DC-based think tank on communications and social media outreach.