This week our BMGChat group decided it was high time to focus on one of the most important and controversial events currently unfolding in the social media and technology worlds: The Introduction and Launch of Google+.
The new social networking monster on the block is essentially Google’s answer to Facebook, and their first imprint in the social media market of technology. Many concepts remain the same when you compare Facebook to Google+, like sending messages, sharing links, chatting, and uploading photos. However, Google+ allows people to group their connections into “circles,” such as family, friends, coworkers, or special interest groups like….biking fanatics.
Now that Google+ has been unleashed for a few weeks, we’ve had a chance to try it out and see what we think. The overwhelming majority of the BMGChat members had positive reactions to Google+. However, it was pretty much a unanimous notion that Google+ is only in its infancy, and that the potential it has to grow in the future is exponentially more than Facebook or any other social media platform today.
To sum up our chat, here’s what we liked and what we weren’t so fond of:
- Gorgeous UI design: We all agreed that when on the Google+ site, it’s b-e-a-u-tiful. Very clean, zero clutter, and slick navigation from circles to sparks to hangouts, etc. Facebook as become packed with advertisements, annoying banner messages, and just an overall crowded, disorganized feel. As far as UI design is concerned, Google+ is getting it right so far.
- Fluidity and seamlessness: You social networking platform now connects to your e-mail. You can share articles with your colleagues, say hi to your dad, and upload photos of your most recent backpacking trip to share with your Appalachian sparks group! Talk about efficiency.
- Privacy: Circles are AWESOME. Brillant, rather. They allow you to be “friends” with anyone and everyone you want to be, but limit what they can see as far as photos and postings. Let’s be real, we don’t want absolutely every person we know to have access to every aspect of our lives. Circles function much more like real life does–you wouldn’t show your boss pictures of your most recent BBQ-turned-kegger, even though your friends will be posting pictures of it. Google+ has got you covered.
- Networking potential: Huddles, hangouts, and sparks. Google+ added so many cool new functions that allow us to network in new ways via a social networking sit. The fact that you can use it for business or personal reasons is great. And added bonus? Through sparks (special interest groups), meeting people online just became waaay less creepy!
- Lack of search: Finding content that your friends posted isn’t easy. Google is known for being a great search engine, so why did they leave this bit out? We were kind of dumbfounded at the lack of search capabilities of Google+. Hopefully it’s on their to-do list within the next few weeks ahead.
- Noise in the stream: Instead of the posts being in chronological order (which we’re SO used to because of Facebook), each posting is pushed to the top of the news stream that’s displayed whenever there’s a new comment on that posting. So far, the reactions have been negative to this new organization style. Instead of trying to win people over to this new format, Google+ might be better off readjusting the stream to what we’re all accustomed to.
- Learning yet ANOTHER social media site: The verbiage, the lingo, the site navigation, the list goes on and on. We’re living in an age where technology bombards every aspect of our lives. We’re learning new technology every single day, and it can be hard to keep up sometimes. A lot of people are hesitant to jump on the Google+ bandwagon before it really takes off because…what if it doesn’t? Or what if it fizzles out in a year or two? We agreed that winning people over from Facebook and other social networking platforms is going to be the biggest challenge for Google+.
Overall, we’re Google+ fans and excited to see where the future takes it! Join us next week for more on social media and website development discussions! The BMGChat time is always the same, every Wednesday at 7:30pm EST. We encourage any and all to join–hope to see you on the chat this week!