Google+. And why I'd say you need to know about it.

Oh okay, it's hard to make it the most interesting blog about Google+ but it is the talk of the town, like it or hate it. It's also going to be so big, brands need to know about it and use it. Get on it and try it. But don't give up because you'll have to get to know it. Sorry but you will.


"Google Plus, What the?"...."The world needs more Social Media?"....seems to be the reaction. "Not another place to advertise" aaaargghhhhh. Yep, but it's here to stay. 


Mind you, shocking name. I can't imagine the meeting but possibly it went....


"Hey you crazy guys, Let's brainstorm Googlers! what will we call this new service?"
"Hmmmm. Google Prime?" 
"Nah...."
"Google Premium, Google Gold, Google Extra??!!"
"Sounds a bit like a new Bank Account from the 70's".
"I have it! Google Plus and we can put a + sign beside it!!"
"Brilliant!"


I mean really. Should have got an Agency to do it - but that's the only downside. Because Ladies and Gentlemen, this is here and I think it's a brilliant twist on Social Media. Not that it matters what I think, it doesn't, but the point is that if you're into marketing, you'll have to get to know it.

The Beta launched on June 28th 2011 and ever since it's come in for a lot of criticism. Like Coke Versus Pepsi. It's Google+ Versus Facebook. Larry Page Versus Zuckerman.


Maybe call it the "Facebook backlash" and clearly it derives, they say, from  Larry's Google "obsession" with Facebook (remember Google Buzz? Orkut? Friends connect? they quickly point out). 


Or perhaps, might I venture, it's actually to compete with Fbook and intended not to let Facebook just get away. After all with a Fbook 100 billion valuation, so would I and Google needs to be in this space more..


It's not obsession, it's good business. All they have to do now, is make it better.


Forgive my heresy but I can't help thinking the more recent launch of Facebooks "timeline", was an attempt to tackle Google+. 


At the launch, Google CEO suggested that criticism was because "you weren't using it properly" which reminded all of the Steve Jobs Iphone antenna issue where he suggested "you weren't holding it properly". Snigger. 


But I know what he means because Google+ takes a bit of getting used to. Like the first Fax machine, you'll get over it.


A survey of Streamabout colleagues (yeah I know, not exactly scientific) suggested that they "don't like it" because "it's hard to use". 


Google+ features include Stream (a newsfeed), 
Sparks (a feed for recommendation but which dishes up content based directly on what you listed as being an 'interest'),
Hangouts (a, wait for it, streaming video chat. see? told you about streaming), 
Huddles then will let you video chat with your circles (anyone feel that between this, Skype and voice-over-IP/VOIP, telcos are stuggling?), 
crap Games, 
Photos (like your Fbook wall to upload your pics), 
Video (your favourite YouTube video which is also owned by Google as is this Blogger site in case you didn't know) and perhaps, best of all, Circles.


Circles are a way to define your people and message them differently. In other words you put different people in different groups and then talk to them differently. 


"Baby, can't wait to see ye later x" perhaps should not go to business connections/circles and maybe you don't want your fabulous business updates to go to friends. Hey, who wants your friends to see you crawl like a nerd. Of course, you can just post to "all". Watch the mistakes here though - it's going to keep YouTube going for years.


It's this circle sharing, or control, that's the killer app.
It allows segmented messaging, differentiation or in plain english, sending relevant messages to the relevant people. 


With the power of Google search behind it, being on Google + will have a dramatic positive impact on your search as Google will force the spiders to seek out these pages first in order to promote them. Which is one brilliant strategy that the power of Google has. Keep dishing up Google+ pages early in search and you'll have to have one. This alone will own the world.


If you're a blogger for example, activate/click your 1+ button at the bottom of your blog - it helps always to improve your search. And lastly it will all translate in the cloud through auto updating.


Industry wide reports are an expected 400m users by end 2012 (versus Fbooks 800m). That's mad. It will way exceed all expectations.


And Facebook? Kinda rhymes with 'MySpace'?
(okay, okay, Facebook is magic. There.)