So I am confused about the +1 button, sure I added it to my blog, and one or two of you have even clicked on it. I also joined Google+ where the +1 button is also available on every post. Yet there seems to be no connection between the +1 button on a site, and the +1 button in Google+.
Here is Google’s explanation of the +1 Button
Google +1 Button
While many refer to the +1 button as Google’s answer to the Facebook ‘Like’ Button they are really not the same at all. If you have been following me for some time now you know I am not a fan of the ‘Like’ button, I will occasionally like a status or photo on Facebook, but never use the button on external sites (feel free to like my blog though ) but I digress.
The +1 button on web sites is used to deliver better google search results, though I am still not sure how to see a persons +1s. In Google+ people are using the +1 button (which is different then the share button) and you see the count incremented on a post.
Here is the catch though. First when I look at my profile to see my +1s I only see sites that I used the +1 button on, not items I +1 in Google+ itself (confused yet?).
Second if I post one of my blog entries in Google+ and other people +1 it, that is not reflected back on my site in the +1 counter. Compare this to the Tweet button which counts tweets to that post regardless if the button is used or not.
So I ask you what exactly is the +1 button supposed to do, and why is there seemingly no tie whatsoever between the +1 button in Google+, and the +1 button on a site?
A couple of weeks later and Google+ is still going strong. Sure it is still in the early adopter phase, and the recent release of the iOS app should drive more iPhone owners to give it a try. The one missing piece is the API, if you want to post to Google+ the only way to do it is manually. Yes there are browser extensions popping up allowing cross posting between other social networks primarily Twitter, and Facebook, but there is no way to cross post from an application (Tweetdecks support of Twitter and Facebook for example)
I have previously stated that I don’t think Google+ can pull people away from the networks they use today until cross posting is possible making it easier to transition from one to the other. What about auto-postings using services like dlvr.it or Twitterfeed that many (including myself) use to automate tweets from blogs. What about other services like Posterous, Tumblr, etc.. that people use today to automatically post content to Facebook, Twitter and other networks. An API for Google+ would enable people to post to Google+ the same as they do to Twitter and Facebook.
Over the last couple of days I think I changed my mind though, part of me now believes the worst thing Google+ can do is open up an API and the floodgates to all kinds of automated postings. Maybe just maybe we would be better served only seeing the items that each person deems worthy to actually take the time and post. So far in my experience posts on Google+ are getting more response then tweets or Facebook posts. I attribute part of this to it still be in the shiny new toy people are kicking the tires on, partially to the smaller circles people have as they are still building their network on Google+, but part of it has to be the lack of automatic postings. Every post you read on Google+ was manually added by a real person (yet another difference on Google+).
I am still not convinced about the Circles sharing model, and I am sure that Facebook, Twitter,and others will respond with their own design changes adding features that can be found in Google+, but I am starting to think the API might do more harm than good to Google+. What do you think?
As a follow on to my thoughts on creating and managing circles earlier in the week, as I continue to play with Google+ I find that the greater issue is not the time and effort to manage the lists, but rather the false sense of security they provide.
This morning for the first time I decided to Share someone elses post on Google+, the original post looked like this
This post originated with a person not in my stream, when I view their Profile I see other posts but not the one that was Shared by a person who is in my circle, which was shared with a Limited group of people. I didn’t notice the Limited on the screen until I went to Share the post when I was prompted with this:
This is very similar to when I wrote about protected Twitter accounts, sure you can protect your account, but any follower you approve can subsequently retweet or share your tweets with others.
I think Circles are going to lull people in to a false sense of security that when they share with a Circle it will stay within that circle only. A simple pop up warning isn’t going to do it. I am all for sharing just make sure you understand who you are sharing what information with, and what potential path that information may travel.
Over the weekend I finally took some time to check out Google+, I haven’t played with all the features yet, and I am yet to be convinced that it will replace Facebook and Twitter where most of my sharing takes place today, but I am keeping an open mind, and it certainly has some nice features. If you have an Android phone be sure to check out the Google+ App for Android.
I am not going to write a full review of Google+ there are enough of them out there already, but I am going to talk about the Circles feature.
The thing is, I hate maintaining lists, which is one of the reasons why my music player of choice is my second generation iPod shuffle. There are many things I like about the shuffle, but mostly it’s the fact that I don’t have to maintain playlists, I just load it up and go, it does the rest of the work for me. Facebook has Friend Lists which are similar to circles, but except for a couple of lists I use to make sure I don’t miss certain updates I have never taken the time to create and manage lists. Back to circles, nice idea, but am I really going to spend the time creating and managing them? Probably not.
Beyond simply creating and managing lists, or circles (I do manage a couple of Twitter lists but they are low maintenance) there is another question. Do I really feel secure using a list or circle to decide who can see what post on my social networks? First I am putting a lot of confidence in Google or Facebook’s privacy and security controls to post something and expect that only a certain few will see it. Second there is the inevitable screw up that will happen when I post something to the wrong circle, and if you are saying “that won’t happen to me†be honest who hasn’t sent a direct message as a tweet by accident?
So how about you? Will you use Google+? If yes will you manage your circles and share differently with different circles or will you be like me, one circle fits all?
) but I digress. 
