After a couple of years of having BIG FUN on Facebook and Twitter, I’ve had the good fortune of being “invited,” to what may be the next big thing. Thank you, Elza!
Some folks are hesitant, and even critical about Google+ getting in the social networking game. Bloggers, etc., are asking questions like, “Why now?” or “Why would anyone want to spend time starting with ZERO friends, when I have 500 somewhere else??” These are certainly good questions, and I understand their crux.
My first few minutes on the new site was ho-hum, to say the least. After clicking around a while longer, I began to get more engaged. Google+ has introduced new social terms like “Circles,” “Hangouts,” and “Huddle.” After I understood what each of these terms were getting at, my experience actually became fun. Moreover, once I entered more engaging “Circles,” Google+ quickly became pretty cool.
After a few days of giving Google+ a chance, I understand differences between it, and other social sites. Actually, Google+ is, “A lot of Facebook, with a twist of Twitter”, all Googled into one.
Using the quote in the last paragraph as a guage, Google+ feels a little smoother than Facbook, but the basic setup is the same. As most of you know, the “NewsFeed” is the unintended star of Facebook. In contrast, the front end focus of Google+ seems to be the “Stream”….and so far, it streams like warm butta’.
I may be missing the mark on this, but Google+ feels like Twitter”+”, too. Obviously, the 140 character thing is blown out of the water, but the focus on the Stream makes Google+ a news blip bonanza. The reason I feel like it is “Twitter+,” is because the necessity to click a “twitpic,” “yfrog,” or “tinybit” link, to dive further into someones “Tweet.” All the info is right there, for your viewing pleasure. Further still, Google+ gives more multi-lateral options (unlike Facebooks more bi-lateral function) to participate in a “Circle.”
Will Google+ replace Facebook? Probably not. This said, it certainly has a place, especially given that Google+ doesn’t have to start from scratch, like Facebook did. I mean, seriously, Google knows where I am right now, and where I’ll be tomorrow. Really and truly, Google can wirelessly thump me in the head, start my car, and change a dirty Finley diaper if they want to. This power is, well….powerful. As far as the, “Why would I start at ZERO dilemma is concerned, I’m pretty sure there is already a way to morph Facebook friends to Google+…once Google opens it up to the general population, of course.
In all, like Facebook and Twitter, Google+ was uncomfy for a few minutes. However, taking it back a few years, for instance, I’m the dummy who was answering other folks questions on my own wall, until someone told me I was doing it (Facebook) wrong. Further, using “@” on Twitter took some getting used to, before I got it right. What I’m getting at is, once I get the full “hang” of Google+, it’ll be informative and fun.
My prediction is Google+ will be a social networking monster by default. One day, terms like “Circle,” “Hangout,” and “Huddle,” will become as mainstream as, “Status,” “Wall,” and “Super-Poke.”
Since it is late, I’ll wrap it up. In short…. get ready. On some level, Google+ is on the way to your laptop.
Facebook will go the way of MySpace. Mark it down.