Although it’s been here for a little while, Google+ is still a relatively new kid on the block. Have you checked it out yet?
Facebook vs. Google+ (Connections vs. Interests)
Some visit Google+ expecting to find another Facebook-like experience. In my experience, I’ve found it to be something quite different.
Facebook is connection based. It’s where I go to keep in touch with my connections; my family and friends; to see who is having babies; how relatives are doing – stuff like that. I spend a fair amount of time connecting with clients on there as well, but it’s primarily friends and family for me. My connections.
Google+ is interest based. Remember the old online newsgroups that were popular back in the ’90s? No? Okay, probably dating myself here. Those newsgroups were interest based. That means you would find a particular newsgroup that talked about stuff you were interested in.
For me at that point, I loved hanging out in a particular jazz guitar newsgroup. It was made up of jazz guitarists from all over the world and of all different skill levels. Great place! I was among newly found friends and we were all talking about what we all loved – Jazz Guitar.
None of my family were in that newsgroup. None of my “real life” friends. They were all other jazz guitarists from all over the world that had now become my friends because we loved the same thing.
Google+ is like that. It’s interest based. My main passion now is photography and most of my friends on Google+ are other photographers who love sharing photos and talking about photography. They are from all over the world and of all different skill levels, yet we all love the same thing – photography.
What are your interests?
What is your passion? What do you like to talk about more than anything else? (yet, no one around you really cares that much! okay, they care… but not as much as you do.)
Take that approach next time you visit Google+. Do a search for other people who love talking (obsessing) over the same things you do.
Two Ways This Can Help Your Business / Career
So far it sounds like I’ve just told you how you can waste more time in front of your computer, right? Well here are two ways it can actually help your professional life.
One – Often times what we are passionate about IS the thing we do for a living. At the very least, we should take interest in continuing to develop ourselves in our profession. Finding other professionals from around the world who are interested in the same field that you are can help you continue to grow and learn more about what you love (or do to pay the rent). It can help you keep up with the buzz in your industry; to share and develop new ideas; to hear what others are doing. This can help to keep you from getting in a rut, or even burning out.
Two – As I mentioned in the last post, the more you can develop your identity online, with an authoritative and trustworthy presence, the better it will be for your professional life in the long run. Trust is one of the most valuable things in business. The more people can get to know you, the more they can have the opportunity to trust you. (Of course I’m giving us all the benefit of the doubt here. If you love crime, or other similar interests, you’ll probably need to find another place to meet new friends. 🙂
Google+ is part of Google. Everything on Google+ is indexed by Google. Google is kind of important to business. (I guess that could be considered a third way it can help your biz)
Anyway, if you hadn’t looked at Google+ before in this light, take another look. You might like it this time. plus.google.com
And if you love photography, web development or jazz, (mostly photography) you can connect with me there: plus.tavphoto.com
