Facebook and Google have been at war for search dominance for a while now. With Facebook a close third place in search behind Google Search and YouTube (both owned by Google), Google recognizes the importance of social integration and the threat it poses to their primary product: Google Search.
When Google+ launched this summer, many jumped the Facebook ship to Google+ for its streamlined design and privacy features. After a quick initial explosion of users, Google+ slowed in the early fall. Now a half year later, the question still exists: Facebook or Google+? But maybe that’s the wrong question to ask. Why was it ever a choice in the first place?
A large group of my close friends had to bear with my initial push to convince them to join Google+. To which one of them answered, “If a post gets posted on Google+ and nobody sees it, does it really happen?”
This is how many view Google+: “well my friends aren’t on it, so what’s the point?” To me, that’s the wrong way to look at it. Like any other site, Google+ should not be judged by whether it can replace Facebook, but rather by the benefits it currently possesses.
In my experience, I view Facebook as a place to connect with friends and Google+ as a place to categorize interests. I don’t travel to Google+ to find out what my friends ate for breakfast, but rather as a place to find out about everything else.
With Google+’s integrated grouping feature “circles,” I can differentiate my interests more than I differentiate my posts. As a result, if I want to view my circled photographer’s posts I view my “photographer” circle, tech posts in my “tech” circle, etc. This gives me the opportunity to find out about what really interests me, as opposed to viewing a nonsensical stream of mundane posts on Facebook – sorry daily quote guy.
Google+ also gives companies the opportunity to create exciting and engaging interactions with more customers on a truly social level. For example, on Dec. 15, Bit9 is launching its first Game Show within Google+’s “hangout” feature. The first nine of Bit9’s circled followers to arrive in our hangout with host John Herman, will be one of nine that have the opportunity to win an Amazon Kindle Fire.
The show will have a live musical performance before and after the show, Android themed questions tied back to our blog site, and physical challenges. This all in a 20-minute span hosted on Bit9’s page. On the day of the show, John Herman will give Bit9 circled followers a two-hour “heads up” before going live. It’ll be up to Bit9’s followers to be there in time to make it into the hangout to enter the contest. This just isn’t possible on Facebook.
Now of course Facebook has its benefits. With over 800 million users, the breadth and scope of Facebook cannot be matched. The same way Twitter could never replace Facebook is perhaps the same way we should look at Google+. It’s just another tool for us to interact with and I think that’s worth being excited about.
If you would like to participate in our Dec. 15, Game Show, circle us on Bit9’s brand page on Google+. There’s no catch. Just circle us and be there in two weeks. Also, if you would like to be a music guest on a future show, please contact my Google+ page directly at Jon Cilley.
