I’m too busy trying to keep up on Facebook/LinkedIn/Twitter/MySpace/BeKnown/BranchOut to find time to write up my thoughts on Google+. Fortunately many of my Blogger buddies did find time to write about Google+ so I thought I would share some of these posts with you.
Rather than saving the best for last, I’m going to put it right up front with the fantabulous post from Kelly Dingee on how she is TOTALLY geeking out over Google+:
But Google+…it makes me smile. I’m like a moth to the flame with this one, I just can’t stay away. I’ve seen a lot of blogs on how great it is for recruiting because of the core features like hangouts and sparks and circles. Sure, there’s huge potential there, but I think that’s just looking at Google+ in a very surface sort of manner.
Pay attention to Kelly’s post and read EVERY word. This is one of the best examples of thinking outside of the box for using Google+. She also provides some tips on searching profiles and a link to pimping out your Google+ profile design. Seriously, you don’t want to miss this post.
On the other end of the spectrum our intrepid HR Technology blogger, Steve Boese, is not sure what to do with Google+.
I kind of like Google Plus, but I also really don’t know what if anything I’ll ever do with it, and that any time I spend there is time I’m not doing something else.
And yet Steve does write near the beginning of his post some of the reasons people will use Google+.
Plus seems to fit nicely into a gap that many users of more established social networks feel exists, making it easier and simpler to share status updates, contents, images, etc. with discrete ‘circles’ of friends and contacts, positioning Plus less of a broadcast medium like Twitter, while offering better (at least ostensibly), control over data privacy, and possessing more potential for meaningful engagement than on Facebook.
It will be interesting to see how long Steve will be able to hold out on Google+. It’s a shiny new object and I know deep down inside that Google+ is calling to him.
Not surprisingly Laurie Ruettimann has chimed in with her take on Google+ and verdict is…wait for it…wait for it…”It’s okay”. Umm, okay thanks. Actually Laurie continues on to talk about social media and technology in our lives. I love her final thoughts.
So what do I really think of Google+? I don’t care. The platform doesn’t matter because I’m pretty sure Google+ can do anything we want it to do.
We should dream bigger.
Rounding out the reviews is Chris Ferdinandi with his I want to love Google Plus (but I don’t) post.
Why not? It’s my least favorite things about Twitter and Facebook rolled into one site. It’s a beautifully designed network that I hate to use.
Ouch. Chris goes on the say the Google+ is too much like Twitter and Facebook and doesn’t solve a problem he has with Twitter and Facebook. However Chris does give major props to Google on Privacy and data:
I will hand it to Google on this one – it’s a LOT easier to control your privacy and download your data on Google+ than on Facebook, and with more nuance than on Twitter.
Make sure you read all the comments on his post to catch the debate on the post contents.
So what have learned? As usual if you ask for the opinion of four bloggers you will get four different answers. What do YOU think about Google+? Leave a comment and let me know.
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