So I’m facing my fear. I’m getting into Google +.
Yep, I’m diving into the water. But let me be clear: I’m diving in after surveying the water first. Now that I know what I plan on doing in the water, I’m ready to jump in and see where it will take me.
As part of my new way of writing, I’m going to incorporate Google+ into the mix. There are certain things worth writing about here, some thing best suited for other blogs1, some things that are best done on Twitter, some that are best done on Facebook and some that are best being kept offline altogether. I’ve started to really examine the portals I have online for my work and how I am going to use them. There are things that each handle better than others, and I’ve figured out where Google+ fits into the equation.
Questions and Feedback
I’ve noticed a lot of people using google+ for this. While I may not use it so much for questions (I’m thinking I might dive a bit more into Quora for that), I will use it to get feedback on certain things I’ve already expressed my own thoughts on. I may also use it for feedback on site design, project ideas, etc. Google+ may very well be the best place for me to “crowdsource” going forward. Twitter doesn’t cut it for me for that purpose2 and Facebook never really did (other than on pages dedicated to my work).
Images and Video
Again, Google+ is the perfect place for sharing a lot of this kind of stuff, and I’m seeing a lot of people using it for this. With YouTube integration and the ability to easily share, it makes sense to use G+ for any videos or pics that I have found and like. I could see Google+ replacing a lot of those Tumblr and Posterous sites that are used simply to share photos, mainly because of the integration that is built right into the platform.
“Saturday Songs” and Stuff
Rather than put this sort of stuff on Vardy.me, I think that Google+ is a far better platform for it. It’s easy enough to do, shows engagement and keeps my blog more about the musings and less about stuff that might be considered more frivolous.
Drawing People In
As with my other social-type networks, Google+ will be where I attempt to draw people to my work elsewhere. The bigger, meatier stuff. I just don’t see the value of putting the heavy-duty writing on Google+ rather than actual blogs and websites. But I certainly do see the value in using the platform as a way to get people to go those places.
Sidebar: How I Won’t Use Google+
I’ve been reading a lot of Ev Bogue’s stuff recently. I love his work, but this week he wrote a post called Inbox Writing that explains that in order to receive his Free Daily Letter that you’ll have to receive it via email going forward. It’s an interesting experiment/move, but as someone who is trying to slow down the influx of email I receive I won’t be subscribing to it.
Maybe he’d be better served posting his work on Google+ rather than emailing them to readers…I don’t know. While I like the notion of receiving a letter from Ev much in a way I’d receive letters in the mail “back in the day”, but I just don’t think it’s practical considering how so many people abuse email (both in the sending and in the receiving end).
Then again, he’s always been a trendsetter of sorts. Maybe he’s on to something.
Oh, and here’s where you can follow me on Google+. Just in case you want to.
1. I’m going to get into submitting more guest posts elsewhere, other than my semi-regular pieces at GTD Times and Life as a Human. If you want me to do one for you, just ask.
1 Although Michael Schechter, Meryl K. Evans and I had a great (and possibly ironic) chat about Google+ Pages on Twitter. So there’s that.
