Google+ - Will it be successful?

I've seen the way Google+ integrates with your Gmail, and your Google searches when you are logged in. I must say, it seems pretty well thought of and well executed.

Comparing it to Twitter, Google+ has some similarities as you can follow famous people like Mark Zuckerberg or even Family Guy and add them to your circle! Google+ does not allow you to play social games like Twitter.

Comparing it to Facebook, Google+ allows you to post photos, share messages to specific groups of friends (in your circles) It allows you to share links and of course, spammers selling links for $$

SEO Shop Puts 50 Google +1s on Sale for Just $9.99

I think with Chrome browser, there is a lot that can be done to make Google+ better than Facebook and Twitter. As suggested by my friend Charlie, there are a few features on Google Wave that were very useful.

When people started a conversation, you can simply add others in and join the conversation instantly. You can sort of do this with circles but it is just different. I'm not sure if Google is going to add that feature as I feel it is very inclusive and it allows others to add friends that might further the conversation, enhancing the collaboration.

One important thing to note. Google+ is available in China! Though reported that it is very slow, the availability may make Google+ take off as it does make the world a smaller place for conversations to happen.

I would like to see more for Google+. Companies should be allowed to have Google+ profiles as certain companies have supporters that want to hear what the company have to say, like on Twitter. Today, as Google+ is still in beta, only a few companies are allowed to have Google+ profiles.

Will Google+ be successful or terminated like Google Wave? It looks as though Google may have finally got the Social Network right, but it is still too early to know.

-- Robin Low

Google+ Revisited

As the days go by, I start to notice my Gmail connecting more with my Google+. As I already check Facebook daily, this little subtle notification is great as it notifies me when something happens to my Google+.

Not only when it tells me what the notification actually is, you can check it out on Google+ with just one click. (Click on "View All")

If you get a notification like someone adding you to their Google+ Circle, you get to see each notification and check it out by clicking on the little arrow on the notification that catches your attention, and check on other notifications by clicking on "newer" or "older"

You can even update your Google+ status on Gmail itself!

Just click on the "Share" tab.

I find myself using Google+ more because of this Gmail integration. I think this integration clearly makes me visit Google+ more.

Here is my profile, perhaps we can know each other better too!

http://gplus.to/robinlow
https://profiles.google.com/robinlow

-- Robin Low

Tips and information on Google+

After trying out Google+ for a little more than 2 weeks, I'm starting to get the hang of it.

First Look at Google+ (G+)

Design: It looks and feels like a Google product, all white and clean looking. Even the Google+ application looks clean.

Usability: Google+ is not like Google Wave, filled with tons of things you can do. Its essentially simple and clean. Here are the following features:


For Mobile + Web
- Home (Stream) - Nothing new, like Facebook news Feeds.

- Huddle - Huddle is basically a group-texting feature for the Circles you create.

- Photo - The photo editor is essentially Facebook photos but with a photo editor. It’s quick and well-organized, making it a welcome addition to Google+.

- Profile - Google+ Profiles essentially port the existing data on your Google Profile. Nothing new here.

- Circles - Much easier to use than Facebook friend list or Twitter lists. Drag and drop feature is fantastic!

- Notifications - Tells you updates which may concern you. Similar to Facebook Updates.

Web only

- Hangouts - Hangouts is one of the more innovative concepts of Google+, it’s a cool approach to getting users to accept group video chat. The camera switching feature (it changes who’s on camera based on who’s talking) is far superior to having multiple video feeds open at the same time. That said, it will require users checking their Google+ streams every day for potential chats to join. This is indeed better the Skype!

- Sparks - Google created a recommendation engine! It’s designed to augment Google+, and if it works as Google designed it, it will create winners and losers in the publishing world, making Google +1 buttons actually matter.


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Google is opening invites to more people, I was able to use the different features more.

What I like about Google+

Circles: The drag and drop feature using HTML5 is indeed great and user friendly. Instead of mass conversations happening, Google puts the communication back in the different overlapping circle of friends.

It makes a lot of sharing more relevant and targeted, and your friends will feel less "spammed" as the information is more relevant to them.

Hangout: The video chat thing is indeed awesome. Its what I've been wanting on Skype, and I was surprised that Google actually came out with it first. It will be a killer app if there is critical mass, but I feel that it might become a novelty as I've done 2 great chats, and could not get friends to "Hang out" even with 100+ friends.

Spark: Content discovery through the "+1" is a very cool thing. Just like Facebook Likes, but for Google, it can recommend you things as well as you log in your Google Profile and use the search.

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Will Google+ make way for more spam emails?

I feel that with Google+, certain information for Chain emails can be just shared with Google+. Now, with your GMAIL, you can share content from your emails directly!

I think this is a step up from the chain emails and mass mails which get deleted or filtered most of the time. Hopefully, marketers can use this to share information with people, and not use the mass mailing. Since people are already sharing information on Facebook, I think eventually, we may get less spam email, and hopefully "relevant" information on our G+ streams.

This way, instead of email marketing, with G+, it may now become social media sharing, and as people can be segmented in different groups, this may make the information you share more targeted and hopefully, getting more views.


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So if you have read about the exciting features, but have not started to use G+, here are a few tips to get started:

1) Start by finding people you know
2) Then find people you don't know. (Simply type their names in the "Find People" box and you can follow these famous people.
3) Get your circles organized. (Segment your friends, overlap is ok)
4) Fill in your Google Profile
5) Follow some folks from Google?
6) Comment and interact with the interesting content.
7) Set up Sparks. (Will help you get interesting content you like)
8) Join Hangouts
9) Check out Suggestions, add them to different circles as you wish.
10) View the different stream and circles to get different content.
11) Create a GPlus account (go to gplus.to)
12) Invite friends and family.

I hope you find this information useful, if you find more uses and cool things about Google+, feel free to contact me or add me to your Google+ (http://gplus.to/robinlow)

-- Robin Low

Google+ for non US members

Is there Google+ for non US members?

Many people have Google+ accounts.

But there is no Google+ App in the App Market for non US members outside US.

So what can you do?

I've asked around and managed to have friends recommend me to this thread.

XDA member sacredsoul posted the solution for you. Developed under the codename Emerald Sea, Google+ is basically Google’s latest attempt at creating a social network, each Google+ profile will center around the Stream, which is essentially the same thing as Facebook’s news feed – where all of your info and updates from your chums are rounded up and constantly updated. The Stream will be joined by four core elements – Circles, Hangouts, Huddle and Sparks.

Just click on his link in the message ->here<-.

Show some thanks!

Not there is Google+ for non US members!

-- Robin Low

Social Media Budget. (Malaysia Toursim under fire)

Yes, companies are spending a lot of money on social media and advertising these days, but a recent report on the Malaysia's Government RM1,758,432 spending on 20,292 Facebook is starting to raise eyebrows.

In this article, "Tourism Malaysia under fire for FB spending" it shows the importance of a good solid plan to measure ROI, as the results from the marketing from Facebook may have even yielded more tourists who spend more that that amount.

I do not agree that a 6 year old can start a FB page well, but I'd agree that the budget was a little high. "You need RM1.8 million to run Facebook pages and applications? A six-year-old can start a Facebook page," said Loke.

I personally think that while it is good for an agency to help your business get started in Facebook and Twitter, ultimately, it is your voice online, and you should not outsource it to a third party, internal training and a good social media policy to get corporate wide support and involvement may prove to be more effective and REAL in your engagement, and people can tell if you are genuine.

I went to check out the FB pages, and felt that "http://www.facebook.com/CutiCuti1Malaysia" is a pretty ok page with decent interaction, however, if you are a tourist going to Malaysia, Would you even think about searching for such a name? (Especially if you don't know Malay)

You need to understand what you are spending on and how it will help you. Get empowered by knowledge and information.

-- Robin Low

The numbers

Critical mass is very important, to be the best, to stay on top, to attract talent, to get new ideas and innovation...

Recently, I was in Silicon valley, and I spoke to some folks at Google, Facebook and Nvidia. Their culture seems to be completely different from Singapore, wanting to be the "silicon valley" of Asia. I think the mindset basically is due to education.

In the US, there are a lot of people (because US is big) and the education system though highly irregular, produces the best people. There is no doubt that the top universities are doing something right, but basically, after interacting with the folks who are in the top tech companies, all of them -- love tech.

Passion is a driving force behind the people, and since young, they love to get their hands dirty and invent things. Silicon valley is a great place to be for engineers, and the education system produces a few kinds of people. One that is unfocused and don't know what to do with their lives, and another type who are driven by their passion to create and seek education to enable them. In America, education is not just a piece of paper. You learn things, and although it does not bring as much prestige, the whole system is based on performance.

Having a masters degree or a PHd does not guarantee that the employee has a better way of innovating and creating the edge for a company. Basically, people are worth what they can contribute. In many companies, solving problems is what they do best, (so that they are in business) and in top companies, they need to solve very hard problems.

It does not take a person with PHd to solve these problem, but rather, a passionate, driven individual with great amounts of experience and a bright spark. For most cases, innovation is found throughout the ranks of the company and rewarded accordingly. With the companies run by Engineers (instead of MBAs) the culture of innovation and performance exceeds that which satisfies the stakeholders, and that is one of the reason why they can get the best of of their people and be on top.

It is not surprising that many like to get their advanced degrees in America, and few in Singapore. It is not that people are stupid in Singapore, but rather, the need.

The problems Singapore is trying to solve are not as challenging, and the advanced degrees are purely for cosmetic reasons. Perhaps for a promotion and moving up the corporate ladder. Few I've seen applied their knowledge to their passion and develop great things, and because the pool of people is rather small, it is very hard to get great help.

The problem of critical mass of talent, market size and access is also key to the success in many technology companies. The culture of inventing, instead of outsourcing core competencies is essential when you are competing at the highest level as creating your technology is better than managing it at the top.

For social networks, creating a conductive, inclusive environment is key for conversation. There is a need to get a core group of focused people, but also a need to get the numbers up sometimes.

There are always silent lurkers on blogs and Facebook pages, and for something to be turned to action, you may need the numbers to spark off something new and interesting, like a long discussion. A few comments can spark off the interest of the silent lurkers to get them in the conversation.

I feel that the numbers game is very important to success. If you do not have the numbers, perhaps collaboration and partnerships may be the answer.

-- Robin Low

Spotting and starting a trend

Spotted a trend, posted information on a page with a very targeted audience.

You immediately get a lot of responses, in a very short time.

Depending on your tone, you can get different responses, and attract different responses.

-- Robin Low