I'll be honest. When I first heard about Google+ (before it came out) I thought the idea was ridiculous. I was irritated by Google's necessity to create a social network and battle it out with Facebook, even though Google already reigns over a good portion of the Internet. Why feel the need to control social media, too?!
After Google+ was released a couple of weeks ago (invite only, of course) my irritation with the giant grew, especially with the talk and fuss continuously growing, not just on news sites and blogs, but even on social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter. I even came across a Facebook Page called "Moving to Google+" where Facebook users were talking about "relocating" and getting rid of Facebook accounts.
Were we all complaining this much about our Facebook profiles a couple of months ago? Personally, I love my Facebook account for several reasons. I can keep in contact with friends and family, both near and far, make plans for the weekend, keep tabs on my exes, etc. When my friend was in Japan during the recent earthquake, the first thing I did was check her profile to make sure she was safe. Facebook has been so useful and convenient in such a wide variety of ways that I can't imagine not having a profile. And due to the love and appreciation I have for my Facebook profile, I was upset with everyone who was "moving."
"Traitors," I thought to myself.
A week later, the buzz multiplied, and my irritation transformed into curiosity. Reading an article on Mashable stating that there was already an estimated 10 million users on Google+ certainly did not help the situation. Why wasn't I one of the chosen ones to get an invite? And what was all the fuss about?
Finally, after a serious inner battle with myself on whether I would stay true to Facebook or adventure on to new horizons, I decided to use my invite and witness the new social media site for myself. Like many users have already mentioned, Google+ seems a little daunting at first and is a little difficult to navigate through. But I have to say, it does put a nice spin on the Facebook version of a profile.
Business accounts have yet to exist in the Google+ world, although some like Mashable have taken the liberty of creating one anyway. But I believe the website is simply too new to know how a Google+ account for a company could benefit it and its consumers.
Although similar in many ways, Google+ is unchartered territory that I feel many of us who are devoted to Facebook will have to accept. I'll tell you one thing, though. My Facebook profile isn't going anywhere. At least not yet.
-Jinni
No comments:
Post a Comment