Google Plus. Thoughts? Experiences?

[Stevie D]

I think at this point Google+ has enough cool features to draw in techies and people looking for a Facebook alternative.

This is what I don't get. If you (generic you, not specifically GeoffreyYu) like a Facebooky kind of site, why not just use Facebook? If you're looking for a cool elite alternative, you'll be out of luck. Because Google+ will either bomb and fade into obscurity very quickly, or it will grow and become massive and take over the world and pretty soon it will be everything you sought to avoid when you went after it in the first place.

Facebook is not, in general, a bad website. Sure, it may not be one that you feel the need to use, but it does what it does pretty well. While I know it has some accessibility problems and a bit too much wizardry for some people, you are looking to Google, I repeat to Google, to produce a site that sticks to the principles of accessible straight-forward HTML? Is this some kind of sick joke?!

Don't get me wrong, I can see why Google wants to launch an alternative to Facebook. I just can't see what's in it for users other than a new toy to play with and a fleeting moment of superiority when for a brief period they have elevated themselves above the plebian masses.

[parisp]

Don't get me wrong, I can see why Google wants to launch an alternative to Facebook. I just can't see what's in it for users other than a new toy to play with and a fleeting moment of superiority when for a brief period they have elevated themselves above the plebian masses.

Many users already see the big difference.

Facebook is based on a friend and NOT a friend paradigm

Google Plus is based on a family,friends,ppl I know, ppl to look out for, work ppl, ppl from university and so on!

The big difference is that If I post something silly and fully I might post it for all but my work ppl since I want to be more serious with them!

Same rule applies if I want to say something related to the university, don't want family or work ppl to see it but just the uni guys!

This fundamental way that google plus works makes Facebook look old school already!

[delomos]

I've tried all of google's products as they became available, including Wave and Buzz. Wave was sort of a fun way to essentially email, but nothing too spectacular, and it died quickly. Google hasn;t accepted my request to join Plus yet, but I'm very interested to see how it works out. Their marketing video is actually somewhat compelling. Having a decent alternative to facebook will be nice, though I like fb too. Just not crazy about monopolies.

Private me your email, I'd send you an invite

[Ted S]

Don't get me wrong, I can see why Google wants to launch an alternative to Facebook. I just can't see what's in it for users other than a new toy to play with and a fleeting moment of superiority when for a brief period they have elevated themselves above the plebian masses.

Great point Stevie and very similar to an argument I've been working on for the blog...

It's easy to like the new shiny toy as an early adopter but for 750 million users, most of whom have no patience to group friends, or real problem with the current settings, what would make them move?

And if they don't move then what value is Plus as a replacement? None. It's not my early adopter friends that make it compelling... it's the people with the interesting lives, the family and friends who update and keep me engaged with them. If they don't move then Plus remains a secondary tool.

I see Plus doing well in it's own right as a professional network or a niche for topical conversations and as many have suggested, a bigger threat to Twitter than Facebook but even that's no sure thing given the push to show popularity over relevancy and length over quantity.

[felgall]

Having only joined FaceBook a week before joining Google+ I can say that FaceBook is just about impossible to use as I can't find anything whereas Google+ makes everything obvious.

Rating both for ease of use:

FaceBook 0 out of 10
Google+ 8 out of 10

Rathing both for features that look useful:

FaceBook 1 out of 10
Googlt+ 2 out of 10

[alpha_q21]

I found google plus very interesting & fast. you can keep separate your personal professional thing there. But it will not speed up like facebook "Like" button.

[clothbottom1]

Hello I've just joined today... Google plus is really nice just take a while to get used to.. Will surely suggest to my friends !

[felgall]

But it will not speed up like facebook "Like" button.

What exactly do you mean by that? The FaceBook Like button is equivalent to Google's +1 button except with less overall effect than the Google one (since no one uses FaceBook to search the web since FaceBook doesn't have that functionality).

[Plushzilla]

I am going to wait on it like I waited on facebook before starting to use it...See where it leads to first, I say....

[bulevardi]

Don't you need a Facebook account to login to facebook? Guess what already millions of ppl have google account so many wont even need to sign up, they just need to login to the service!

No, I have a Hotmail account, with that I login into my Facebook account.
For Google Plus, I possible won't be able to create an account with a hotmail address, I would possible need a gmail address....

btw chrome IS one of the fastest browsers out behind apple safari

Safari is crashing all the time with me... at my computer the slowest browser.

You are a google employee? Just created your account few days ago, only positive about google things and always negative about the others?

[parisp]

That's how all social networks work, you need an email to register and use! Don't see where you see a problem, with google you create one account and have access to all their services.

Not a google employee, am an employee of myself actually! Not a fan of google either but there are a few google products I like and use, I use google reader, adwords and Analytics, and now google+

[bulevardi]

That's how all social networks work, you need an email to register and use! Don't see where you see a problem, with google you create one account and have access to all their services.

I know how social networks work.

Well, for people who already have an email at another provider, they get another email on top: the gmail one. And most likely, if you get your google+ profile, only the gmail address will appear visible in public to your friends, and none of other providers.
In that case, your friends in your google+ list who need to send you an email, will see that one, think you've changed provider and mail you on that one in the future, instead of your old one.
It's a handy way of google to make people get rid of their yahoo/hotmail/other mail providers, and get used to only use the gmail account.

[parisp]

Does not state anywhere that you have to have a gmail account in order to join google plus, as far as I know google+ allows you to invite anyone with any email account, and I also know that you can create a google account without having to get Gmail either

Have had a google account with my company's email address for ages, dint need Gmail or never created one until a few months ago that a service wanted a Gmail in order to store some info, so I do have one now but don't use it, still use my normal email to sign in to google.

[Stomme poes]

And that's a whole new spin on privacy,

Worthless to me if while you can keep something "private" from a set of friends, but 15 different advertising companies know you posted it and will hound you til the end of your days with offers to buy stuff vaguely related to whatever it is you posted.

People need to stop calling it "privacy" and start calling it "separation" (as we say, separation of professional and personal lives).

[phpgator]

Google+ has a nice little look to it. However, it is too similar to Facebook. The Circles are a very cool idea, I do agree. However, if Facebook feels any threat, they could implement the same feature on their own network and then Google would really have a hard time catching steam. Beyond that, I haven't really noticed anything special.

I hear that Google+ also makes it VERY EASY to share videos on Android based phones. I have yet to see it, but that also sounds like a very cool feature. Google could do something really strong in that genre if they really push it.

[EliseBlanchett]

I don't have much knowledge about the Google Plus and I wonder if I could get a source that directly describe the facts of Google +. I have been seen that the term Google Plus is headed a lot in forums during days. Well I would like to go for getting much information about it.

[TheRaptor]

i dont think google plus works at this time its too soon to tell but as of now it won't take over facebook spot...facebook still the best social network

It works, I'm using it! Facebook does have quite the head-start on Google, but it depends on how well it catches on. It seems to be getting quite a bit of buzz these days.

I don't have much knowledge about the Google Plus and I wonder if I could get a source that directly describe the facts of Google +. I have been seen that the term Google Plus is headed a lot in forums during days. Well I would like to go for getting much information about it.

There seems to be a bit of confusion regarding the difference between G+ and +1. Despite their similar names the two have very little correlation. Google Plus is social media network like Facebook or Twitter. +1 is a button that shows up in the search results of Google that allows you to in essence thumb a result up placing it higher in the results the next time you search (more info on that here: Google +1 Button).

[Spartinman]

What about FAN pages or business pages... you would think Google plus would roll that out now.

[zhoom]

A couple of things I love about G+ so far

- Very granular sharing. I can share with a circle, just 1 or a selection of people or publicly.
- UX is clean, simple.
- Android app is also clean and simple.
- Potential integration with Picasa

Don't like so much:
- I can't use my Google Apps account yet.
- No business pages.
- None of my friends are on there.
- Friend suggestions from Gmail contacts is weak... No relevance algos used for this I don't think...?
- Android app "Nearby" tab gives me random people in my list. I actually don't care that John Random is at Starbucks 1.6 miles away from me!

BUT

When these things are fixed/added, G+ will be great! I can see it as an alternative to Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin all in one, especially if third party devs can hook in some great linkage apps... I prefer it to Facebook, however it has one key ingredient missing... All my friends!

Looking forward to it opening up and seeing it in it's full glory....

*Edit*
Anyone know if there is a share to G+ button yet? I couldn't find anything... Maybe needs to wait for the API to be released?

[zhoom]

What about FAN pages or business pages... you would think Google plus would roll that out now.

They are accepting applications for the testing phase: https://plus.google.com/105923173045...ts/DFf6RPhX2rU

[felgall]

Google+ has a nice little look to it. However, it is too similar to Facebook.

I disagree. The two are nothing alike.

With Google+ you have buttons and links all over the place that do things and every time you do something it asks you to confirm who you want to share it with. With FaceBook it takes forever to find where anything is. I joined FaceBook two weeks ago and still can't find ANYTHING whereas Google+ is easy to use.

Also for those claiming you need an email account on a particular network to join either of these - you don't. The only email addresses I have are on my own domain.

[zhoom]

I disagree. The two are nothing alike.

With Google+ you have buttons and links all over the place that do things and every time you do something it asks you to confirm who you want to share it with. With FaceBook it takes forever to find where anything is. I joined FaceBook two weeks ago and still can't find ANYTHING whereas Google+ is easy to use.

Also for those claiming you need an email account on a particular network to join either of these - you don't. The only email addresses I have are on my own domain.

I wonder if people are getting confused between using a +1 button which you need a google account for and Google+ which you can sign up with any email unless it's a google apps account....

Yes, I agree re the simplicity... Mind you, when I started on FB about 5 years ago, it was simple and quite easy to use... Let's hope G+ doesn't go down the FB route of sensory overload!

[VQ Copywriter]

It's definitely going to impact Google search, probably more than Facebook. I mean why wouldn't Google give their own "votes" more credit. As for Facebook, people still use Myspace so I don't think they have anything to worry about. The competition between the two will be good for marketers. I'm interested to see how the new Facebook search option is going to be used.

Personally, I like Google plus a lot better. The circles are awesome.
<snip/>

[artcoder]

I definately like the ability to put people into circles and you can create as many circles with different level of sharing/privacy. Finally, a social network that does permissions/privacy correctly.

[jeremyclark]

i love the circles!