Dillon Deliberating

Roberto Kussabi’s piece in the Guardian’s voluntary section takes on Google Plus Brand pages,  starts on a weary note “another day, another social network to get excited about”.  Having read the article I would posit ‘excitement’ is far from his mind and with good reason.   He does after-all “manages social media and online communities at a UK charity, I know that my time is limited”  and with regard to his charities digital efforts the numbers do not add up  “our audience simply isn't there yet, especially in the UK” .  Organisations considering a page on Google Plus should read his argument and for time poor digital teams he offers  clear level headed advice.  My perspective is not that of someone who manages social media.  Instead its that of a Google Plus veteran who’s seen Googles social layer oscillate from wide eyed optimism to those who would have it tossed into the  ‘dustbin of social media history’ to the tune of Ghost Town.  In terms of  brand pages taking care of my London Strollers walking group is about it for me.  

Were I have an issue with the article is about how is positions Google Plus.  How you look at Google Plus informs your expectations.  Robert chooses to see it squarely as a social network but others characterize Plus as Google’s social layer that will glue to together Googles disparate services.  Ed Dunbill writing in O’Reilly Radar suggested that it is ‘Googles backbone.  

We are told that “Some social-media gurus have even decreed that Facebook is dead and Google+ is social-media Utopia”  forgive me but I cannot think of any credible commentators that have characterised it in such manic terms.   Robert Scoble maybe one of the 'guru's' being refered to but more likely the 'Facebook dead, Plus is utopia' comes from over enthusiastic users.  Indeed Scoble has recently lambasted Google Brand pages so even he finds a chime with Roberto's article.  

In terms of a stampede, Buzz and Wave are mentioned. Let’s take Buzz,  this was less about signing up people but instead "Google attempted to jump start Buzz with lists drawn from its successful Gmail and Gchat services,"    As for Wave all that it shares in common with Plus is the word ‘killer’ characterised less as a social network  but instead as an ‘email killer’.  So with Google’s track record from Wave to Buzz it boggles the mind that Google Plus would be a ‘social media utopia’. 

Google Plus is not a utopia but its a shame Robert did not refer to the opportunities that Google Plus pages have to offer.  For example no mention of its stand out feature, Hangouts.  Nor does he refer to Google’s key strength, its search engine (Facebook will need to buy one) content put on Plus stands a chance of improved SEO.  

Google Plus could complete a hat-trick of failures for Google following Buzz and Wave.  Indeed Farhad Manjoo writing in Slate predicts this with absolute certainty.  However my view, Google Plus will endure not as competitor to Facbeook but as Google’s social layer that lays the foundation for Google’s social web.  As for non-profits on Google Plus I wish them well. For those brand pages that have set up ‘car park’ style by simply reserving a space, hopefully they drive the car and give Google Plus a go, time permitting of course. 

Further reading:

My blog entry posted July 2011 outlining my initial impressions of Google Plus: http://dillondeliberating.posterous.com/google-plus-coming-up-for-air