Last year was fun when I started connecting with people that were passionate about technology and wanted to know what Google+ was all about. I ignored the complaints about the platform being a ghost town because they were using it wrong. Honestly, I kinda wish people like +Dustin W. Stout and +Mike Allton would have not addressed the issue (But I also thought it was a worthy cause and stood beside them in it). You want the social network to be as big as Facebook? That means spammers, annoying self promotions, and game invites all the time. In fact, I predicted this last year in February.
Google+ Changes/Grows
I feel like in some small portion, my prediction about Google+ becoming “just average” has come true. I look at my news feed and its LITTERED with self-promotion and “how to take advantage of Google+.” I loved Google+ because it was a great place to connect with others. Now it seems like many of the thought leaders are self absorbed and just spouting the same here’s how to get more followers, +1s, and comments non-sense. How about you go back to sharing your lives? That’s what I loved about Google+.
And to be clear, I am as guilty of this in small bursts as well. And I already decided to change my actions last month.
A New Google+ Strategy
I actually decided to do more than just a blog post about this and actually took to the streets of Google+ and asked them about what was going on with Google+. Here are some of their replies.
I can’t say that I’ve noticed a change in the people that I choose to follow, but I have certainly seen this kind of behavior in others. Those are people that I do not circle, or quickly uncircle when I see it (or put into one of my quiet circles).
My stream continues to be filled with wonderful commentary and insights and great content.
You know I got you, Jeremy.
Here is what I did…
I have a circle called watch list. I put new people in there so I can be alerted everytime they post. This allows me a chance to get to know them and find out where they best fit.
2nd – I have a top ten list. I get notified when they post as well. These are the stallwarts of Gplus. Be it Jeremy Hodges, Jeremy Siefert, Andrew M, Paul Tripp, etc. Good people, great posts.
I send most of my time on notifications interacting and taking part. I save the Circle Stream for my times of boredom, eye candy.
Jeremy Tramell
It would seem that Google+ is beginning to become a bit congested. I wish I could say that the more traffic is good for Google+, but I fear new people that are authentically coming for a better experience… There are some great conversations always happening on the network that I believe is due in large part not because of Google’s platform, but because industry leaders in the audience that are using the platform have decided to make worthwhile conversations. You just have to sift through the junk now. And as Jeff Hendricks shared in the comments of that post, “That reminds me, I need to post more…”
M. Cooke says
It’s a shame that it seems as though Google is dismantling G+. First, they removed having to have a G+ account to be able to do group video chats through Hangouts, and now the rumor is they are about to pull the Photos app out of Google+. It’s sad because I really liked G+!
Eric Dye says
I agree. It would seem as though Google is becoming more and more fickle about the future of Google+.
Eric Dye says
Despite the “congestion,” it seems like this is where the ‘Circle technology’ could work really well; however, Google’s bottom-line will ultimately rule and that is where the fate of Google+ ultimately lies.