The Real Reason Why You Need Google Plus

I got inspired to write about this because of an article written by Rocky Agrawal who guest posted over at Techcrunch. Quoted, he mentioned the following insightful tidbits:

"Although I like a lot of the content I currently see on Google+, it has limited appeal. It also has a dangerous priming effect as new entrants either look at the conversations and mimic them or decide that this isn’t their scene. It’s like peeking into a party and realizing that the people who are inside are nothing like you."

I agree with some of his points particularly on "realizing that the people who are inside are nothing like you."

FRESH START

But then that's the point. Everything about Google plus is a fresh start at social networking. It's a chance to rebuild burned bridges spurned from the ashes of failed social connections, an opportunity to see social reality in a different light, to create a new sense of wonderment from our disillusioned social networking eyes and more importantly, an opportunity to engage more with others who are not like us.

It's more than just group video chat or being able to systematically organize our relationships, it's an altogether different paradigm of interaction.

TALKING WITH PEOPLE vs. TALKING AT PEOPLE

Agrawal also said,

"Paradoxically, the extent to which the constraints of Twitter stifle conversation helped its growth. Because real conversation is hard using Twitter (vs. just tweeting out your own story) there isn’t the expectation that people will engage with you in it. Because tweets disappear as the firehose continues to gush, it’s easier to ignore them. I know—I’ve done it.

This appeals to a lot of the people that have popularized Twitter: A-list celebrities, media outlets, politicians and megabrands. (Techcrunch, 2011)" 

My point of differentiation is strengthened by the fact that I'm a nobody in the tech world, I don't even live in America and yet I feel that I've somehow made the rudimentary steps of what can be called engaging in Google Plus.

Not that I'm not having the same engagement on twitter or on facebook, I am, but right now, the hype and the shiny new buttons make it feel like it was New Year in Times Square.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO LEAVE FACEBOOK TO JOIN GOOGLE PLUS


Some are still reticent to join Google plus because of the homey feel of Facebook with all the relatives and close friends in it. That is a very strong valid point so I'll take a different route from the other writers and  give you my humble advice: stay with Facebook but if you want to meet new people and broaden your horizons, connect on Google plus.