How to Use Google+, Even if You’re not a Geek ~ A Book Review
Book: What the Plus! Google+ for the Rest of Us by Guy Kawasaki
Genre: Social networking
Publisher: McGraw Hill
Publication date: 2013
Pages: 197
Source: Library
Summary: The social media platform by Google, Google+, once the domain of engineers and other geeky people has a cheerleader in Guy Kawasaki. What the Plus! is his first product-oriented book since The Macintosh Way was published in 1987.
Thoughts: What the Plus! begins with a helpful concept of how to choose which tool for the job you want done in social media.
- Twitter is for real-time perceptions.
- Facebook is for connecting with people you know.
- Pinterest is for pictures (natch).
- Google+ “enables you to pursue your passions with people you don’t know.” (page 8)
You have passions, right? Then, there’s a place for you on Google+. I know it has a reputation for having fewer friendly faces than Facebook and being slower-paced than Twitter, but that’s what makes it different and useful. You’ll make new virtual acquaintances among people who share your passions and have interactions that are as thoughtful and as detailed as they need to be.
My favorite chapter was written by a guest writer, Peg Fitzpatrick: How to Be a Little Fish in a Big Pond. Because, let’s face it, you and I are never going to be a fish as huge as Guy Kawasaki. As Peg points out, that’s going to make our experience on any social media platform very different from his. She counsels patience and engagement by writing comments, sharing, and being generous with the +1 button.
If you’re a book blogger, you’ll want to begin by joining the community Book Bloggers Do It Better. And, by adding the book bloggers from the Book Bloggers’ Circle to your own circle. Guy Kawasaki says the fun starts on Google+ when you’ve circled 50 or more people — the Book Bloggers’ Circle currently has 157 people so you’ll already be way ahead on that. If you add me, Joy Weese Moll, to a circle, and it’s clear from your profile that you’re a book blogger, I’ll add you to this circle and share it again.
If you’re a woman over 40 with a blog, join the Women of Midlife community. I’ve made a circle of 134 of these ladies: Midlife Women. I’ll update this circle, too, if your profile indicates you belong to this group, but don’t make me judge by your photo!
Complaint: Why do techy people think that books don’t need indexes? If it’s in print, it needs an index, guys. Think of it as the book’s search engine.
Appeal: Anyone who wants to make more meaningful on-line connections.
Challenges: This book counts for Nonfiction November, hosted this week at Sophisticated Dorkiness.
Are you using Google+? What are your successes and challenges in that space?
Hi Joy, I’ve ignored google+ for about a year but have recently started paying attention to it again. It’s kind of a cool system to use for photographers because the images on the white background are well showcased. So much to discover that I actually have to set a timer. Even 20 minutes of pinterest, of tumbler, or facebook, of google+, of flickr per day and there goes almost 2 hours!
There’s a chapter in What the Plus! about photographs that makes the argument that Google+ is a better space for photography. That’s one of the reasons I’ve become more interested as well.
Hi Joy-
Thanks for the valuable info – if I can figure out a way to process this new info into a old system in this cranium of mine – will give it a go. (Sometime after NaNao and PAD challenges even I have a limit -lol)
Thanks for this info, Joy. I have a Google plus – we all had to get one at MNINBs platform challenge, right – But Ive never used it. Ill give it a lookover now. Yes, Im over 40, and I review books on GoodReads regularly – could I do so on Google + (my keyboard wont print apostrophes or question marks this morning, sorry.)
The book bloggers don’t review books on Google+ so much as link to their book reviews from Google+. It presents the book cover more attractively than Facebook and invites a longer description of the link or longer snippet of the review.
Lori Sailiata recommended “What the Plus!” and I blasted through it. Now Google+ makes more sense to me. Thanks for sharing your circles. But “Midlife Women”? I feel I’m just getting started at 49. Hahaha!
Me, too, Amy! And, I’m 51. Actually, you may love this group — they are very energetic about trying out new things. They are quite active on Facebook, too, and seeking writers for their website.
Thanks, Joy. I’m also trying to use Google+ more, but feel I haven’t cracked the code yet. I think the information about groups is very helpful.
I read the book also a few months ago, and while it was very helpful, the other problem other than not having an index, is that a print book can’t be updated. So many changes have been made to G+ since this book was published not that long ago that it is better to get advice about social media online.
Thanks for sharing, Joy. I have a Goggle + account, but haven’t mastered it at all. Rarely log on. I’ll take another look after reading your post.
I’m still figuring out Google+. I think I got a little circle happy in my earlier days, so now I’m trying to figure out a way to organize all the posts I get. (I do like having Communities, though. That’s a nice feature.)
Joy, is there a community of “older” women? I’m not “midlife,” I’m afraid!
Seriously, thanks for this. I post to Google+ but I haven’t learned to use it well or expand to groups beyond WSS. Are you suggesting (or is Kawasaki) that we should go public with our posts? Obviously, I need to read his book!
Yes, posting publicly seems to be the moment when Google+ suddenly starts to feel like a community.
I was just at a conference where Guy spoke but I missed it – I didn’t realize who he was! Now I follow him on Twitter. I just joined Google+ this week so I’m just figuring it out. I’m excited about all the Ed Tech circles.
Thanks for this review! I’m going to reserve it right now!
Thanks for this review, Joy. I’m “on” Google+ but have never really gotten into using it the way I use Twitter and Facebook, so this book sounds perfect for me. I’ll check out both of the Book Bloggers Circle and the Women of Midlife Circle too. And as a professional book indexer, I agree 100% about books in print needing indexes
(Actually, non-fiction ebooks need indexes, too, but as of this date there still isn’t any standard way to compile ebook indexes, which need to link to a position on a page rather than to individual pages themselves.)
Fascinating! A good friend of mine has tried to get me to board the Google + train, but I never really understood its place in social networking. This sounds like I book I should read to connect with those in all my interests: reading, midlife, photography, and writing
Hey Joy,
Yes, I HIGHLY recommend the ebook version as it is always kept up-to-date. In the ever-changing world of social media, hardcover books are obsolete before the ink is dry. The other plus to the electronic version is all of the hot-links to more info.
I also recommend following +Guy Kawasaki, +Peg Fitzpatrick, and +Martin Shervington. They follow back. Don’t believe me? Just check out my google.com/+LoriSailiata followers. How cool is that. Why you are there, circle me too. I know you do already, Joy, but that’s an invite to your other readers as well.
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I tried Google+, then Google disabled my account and I never went back. Very few people I know are on Google+ anyway.
http://www.ManOfLaBook.com
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