I met Dustin of Dustn.tv earlier this year at a conference and was told he was The Google+ Guru. I don’t know many people who even consistently use Google+ so I knew Dustin would be a great contact to have when I decided to jump on board.
I am slowly working my way into using Google+ and I thought it was time to flip through the Rolodex, or maybe just send out a tweet to Dustin to see if he would be willing to answer some questions about using Google+
Of course, he graciously agreed and here is the result of that Q&A.
Is Google+ another social media site like Facebook or Twitter?
In the respect of being an online network where you can connect with people and interact, share photos, post links to things, and discover new things then yes. In a VERY generic sense of a social network there are the same fundamental concepts. However, Google+ takes a much more forward thinking approach and does everything better than the other social networks out there. From an interface standpoint it’s more beautiful, from a functionality standpoint it’s more powerful, from a media (photos, videos) standpoint is more beautiful, from a privacy standpoint is simpler and more effective.
If so, then why is it not as popular as the others, especially since Google is such a big player in the technology world.
I would have to answer that question with a question— who say’s it’s not as popular? And further more, what does popular mean? Currently as it stands it has more active users than Twitter and Pinterest combined. So if popularity is equal to number of people using it, then it’s clearly more popular than the two that people tend to talk a lot about. The reason it is met with such resistance at times is because people don’t like change, especially when it threatens what they’re currently successful at. People don’t want another social network that’s better than Facebook because it means they have to learn something new and get outside their comfort zone (even if part of them knows it’s better for them in the long run). The reason “experts” have attempted to bash Google+ time and time again is because they have vested interest in the other social networks (and have even built businesses around teaching people about a particular network) so it is a direct threat to their “expertise”.
Several of us have a gmail account for both our personal and business email addresses. Should we share through both or just one account?
I recommend signing up for a Google+ profile with your personal email address. Then once you’ve established your personal profile, create a business page and attach it to your business email address. Keep the two separate and share relevantly from both accounts if you have the margin.
Does Google+ limit your fan-base from seeing your posts like Facebook has recently done?
No. That’s a major plus! Much like Twitter, those who circle you (“follow” in Twitter terminology) can see a social stream in real time. They can also filter their social streams to easily sort through the content they want to see based on circles. Google will tend to resurface things that are getting more activity, but they will never hide your updates from those who have opted to receive them.
What are a few tips that could help us in our Google+ endeavors?
Always be thoughtful in what you post. Don’t just paste a link and leave— you won’t get ANY traction from doing that. Getting engagement means you have to show that you’re not posting on autopilot. The Google+ audience is very tuned in and can smell spam and auto-posters a mile away. I’ve actually come up with an “Anatomy” of what a “Perfect Google+ Post” looks like
here.
I also recommend you engage regularly with people who interest you. Leave comments on and share their posts. Be sure to always +mention them too in order to get their attention.
Lastly, find a Google+ Community of people who share a passion of yours. If it doesn’t exist, create one yourself!
Are there any Do’s and Don’t with Google+?
There are plenty of “Do’s” and “Don’ts” when it comes to Google+. Like any social network it has it’s own unique etiquette. I could write several blog posts on the topic (and eventually will) but in the meantime, my friend Mike Allton has done a great job with his piece titled
“How Not To Use Google+” . That is a definite recommended reading.
Dustin knows a lot about more than just Google+ so make sure that you keep him within your reach.
