Google ?????Google Refrigerator? (Photo credit: Aray Chen)
It’s been a fantabulous 10 hours since I launched my first Google+ Community, Bloggers Unite! in about five minutes yesterday (with 46 members as of 11 p.m. last night). Didn’t check on a name or worry about what it was going to be for or about…just did it…you know Nike made me do it.
I had to jump in right quick as my peers were inviting me to their communities like crazy, and I saw one already had 150 members…so, there I was not to be left empty handed and voila…another social network, just like all the other holes in my head.
But, it was an exciting engagement sort of day – Google+ was hopping, and Facebook and Twitter were tres dead! Bloggers were posting articles about the new Communities all day, and everyone was joining (after I mistakenly sent an invite to an entire circle and didn’t know it)!
So, what is a Google+ Community?
It’s another place to post and engage and banter or be serious (I’m tired of being serious). Actually, no one really knows. The rules will get made as we go and grow; I’m no longer worried about it. People can ask the serious questions or pose the banter sillies I’m seeing a lot of, too.
I’m loving the feel of these pages much more than Facebook; in fact, it’s cleaner and more fresh. Someone asked me on Twitter which community I thought looked good to join, and I said, “hang 10.” No one really knows what they’re doing yet and everyone is joining one another’s communities, so the jury is out until the content rolls in. My advice to most is to sit back, watch, listen and enjoy the fun. You can decide in about a week who’s on first.
Is it just another engagement platform?
Perhaps, but I want to see for those moderating a community how much link love and SEO juice they may get being all over the Community with responses and posts. There’s got to be some benefit with all that activity. My sense is that every morning someone can come post their blog link first thing in the community and then get more shares.
A few other folks said they wouldn’t accept my invite because they were feeling overwhelmed and didn’t want to do anything they couldn’t do well. Don’t be too worried about being serious about this until you have to get serious. I’m thinking some good stuff is going to come out of this, and you know why?
Google+ has not been peeps’ first channel of adoption. It’s cleaner without all the cousins, nieces, family members, ex boy friends and childhood voyeurs clogging up the stream. It’s about business, and it’s still new. Google did an amazing job creating this hub-bub, and people fell for it hook, line and sinker.
Still on the fence? Don’t be…flock to Google+ just like we all did within the last 48 hours. See you at Bloggers Unite! Ask me for an invite; you’re already in!
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See, Chris Brogan was right. For now.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=dK7UaZAXn_Y watch it all but if you go to the 6:00 mark there are some interesting comments on G+ there re SEO. Hey, he’s just one guy, right?
I have noticed a lot of people jumping on board to G+ yet lot of other people are talking about how no one shares there. Maybe that will change now?
@rdopping You’re so good to watch a video longer than 2 minutes! I can’t…there just isn’t time. I have a rough time sitting on a webinar for 60 minutes; I want to multi-task, like tweet the content of the session or something. !
Hey Jayme
I like Google+ so I’m interested to see how the communities thing works out.
Wait and see on this one I think!
@timbo1973 The most fun, though, is getting in at the top when no one really knows what they’re doing…that’s when it makes me laugh. Then, everyone wants to get all serious and figure it out…that’s OK! I’m confident we will!!
Thank-you for jumping in and starting a community, Jayme, without waiting! You are so fearless. Always loved that about you!
Having fun? I’m in. Let’s start the party!
@New England Multimedia After all the channels we’re in, truly, what’s one extension? It can only help out emphasis on G+ posts and bring more people to the party. Much to their unrealized benefit, too!
@Soulati | B2B Social Media Marketing Years ago I used to belong to a couple of online forums, and we not only shared serious stuff, but we just had fun, too. A place to just relax, share light-hearted stuff, and even have virtual “parties” and “vacations.” It was a lot of fun! Real community. This feels like that.
@New England Multimedia Uhhh..so glad you said that. I was beginning to think the banter I had with @AlaskaChick last night was too frivolous, but I was cracking myself up! Even now, an ROFLMAO, remembering! Heh.
But, I know for the less light-hearted, I need to balance that up. It was a jazzed moment launching and seeing all the action. I do love the lights! Thanks, Girlie!
I like G+, have since I started. I have been focusing most of my promotional efforts there along with Twitter. Perhaps communities were what they needed to glue it all together? Excited to be in your group and go on this journey together.
@susansilver I like how you bring another element to the group — smart thinking and questions to get people engaging…so needed! Thanks for that, Susan!
All I know, Jayme, is that it was time for me. It’s all fun and games till ya get a stick in the eye, right? Well, far-be-it for me to let the one thing slide that may be another (or the very one) window into people’s world that I have worked so hard to find. It is kinda the last trigger for me, that I needed to publish My Identity Crisis. I mean really. Who? Me? Write a BOOK? Pu-lease. And yet, there it is. In living color. And even that doesn’t describe it. So, thanks for this and I wont let any of our Bloggers down.
@AlaskaChickBlog Did anyone ever tell you that just because you live and hunt in the wilderness you still have a working community to support you? The door is wide open; make your connections in G+ Communities and here; you can spread your wings and soar.
Now, I’m waiting on that blog post about your book and where to buy it. Or, have you already published that post and I missed it? Please add the url right here. Keep the energy high and spirits higher! You’re good!
@Soulati | B2B Social Media Marketing https://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/3766649?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=bookstore-share
(That SHOULD be the direct link to the book at Blurb!)
https://pioneeroutfitters.com/my-identity-crisis-alaska-chicks-journey/
(This is the post that I wrote about publishing My Identity Crisis…)
Thanks for ALWAYS being there, Jayme. I DO count on you, and the others… and I always receive direction and answers when I ask… so thanks, to you, and to the rest. It isn’t small stuff to me. It is my life.
@AlaskaChickBlog I will be by to visit; working on my ebook tonight! Got to get that puppy done!
@Soulati | B2B Social Media Marketing Yipee! (your new book!) Work well, pal of mine….I’m still at it too!
Glad to join the new community. It will be fun to experiment. I already “met” @AlaskaChickBlog — so it’s already a big success. I still have a little frustration with G+ because it doesn’t do some things I expect it to… but maybe all that will straighten itself out as I get to know it better.
@barrettrossie @AlaskaChickBlog Just relax and have some fun. Meet new peeps and share your stuff. There are way too many people being way too serious up there already. Good for them.
@barrettrossie @AlaskaChickBlog I love her blog!!! #ThatIsAll
@ExtremelyAvg @barrettrossie (He just want to come give my horsies love and cookies!) LOL
@AlaskaChickBlog @barrettrossie I really really do! The horsies don’t really need hugs, but I want to give them some.
Glad to be a part of things. I look forward to seeing what we come up with.
@Joshua Wilner/A Writer Writes Thanks for joining, Friend.
Excellent post! I’ve also jumped on the Google communities bandwagon, having joined a few myself. Thanks for sharing!
@SandyAppleyard Hey, Sandy! Thanks for coming over. Join us, too, at Bloggers Unite!
Thus far, I’ve not been impressed. It seems like there hasn’t been much engagement in the communities. I see a lot of posting, but not many conversations. It makes me a little weary.
The problem may be me, though. I’ve accepted eight invites, so I probably spread myself too thin right out of the gate. I admit I have’t done much posting on my own and it is possible that the engagement is happening in the comments, so I should reserve judgement.
I like G+, but it is still the third wheel, and I don’t get over there from Twitter and Facebook, nearly often enough.
@ExtremelyAvg Brian, you’re another of those prolific novelists on your blog. Wow. Impressive content today…so glad you’re using Livefyre so I can jump there in a flash.
As per G+? You get what you give and that holds true on all the channels. I’m watching many of them (communities) and they are not like mine thus far. A few have the same old cronies who are comfy on the couch and that breeds interchange; however, I’m trying to do there what I do here — make everyone feel welcome and ensure that banter and encouragement are words one.
I’ve not seen you post (perhaps once), so, therein lies the conclusion! If you’re invisible and expecting to get something out of a community…nope…cannot do.
Be a little more stick your neck out and see what happens; I’ll nurture you as you see I do for everyone.
@Soulati | B2B Social Media Marketing I haven’t posted yet, not because I don’t want to, but I sort of wanted to try to engage some of the members before I start begging for attention. Again, I think the problem is that I’m trying to be engaging across eight communities. I need to pick one (yours) and give it my best effort. 🙂
@ExtremelyAvg And, you’re not alone! Everyone is feeling very overwhelmed. Ask me in one week where communities stand after the honeymoon is over.
@ExtremelyAvg Brian, I sorta to mostly agree…I believe what happened was it started (G+) with such a huge boom, that it was busy-busy… with really no one to lead the way. No one to really do things the way we are taught (me) by the ones that do things the right way (like you and Jayme), talking, actual conversations, sharing and the community we are used to with Twitter and Face Book.
I accepted a couple invites, myself, but actually, it is probably no different than following someone on Twitter, only to find out that so-and-so is just flooding your stream with nonsense or nastiness… because if the person sending the invite to join a group doesn’t really having anything else to do with “their” group… then nothing (that magic) happens.
You and I both know that Jayme isn’t about to do ANYTHING “half-assed”, so I think this is gonna be fun! Give it and Bloggers Unite a chance, I’m going to.
@AlaskaChickBlog @ExtremelyAvg And, why not both of you guys be moderators? I’m thinkin’ I can use a little help here! That way you can populate content in your time zone (Alaska) when Brian and I are asleep! Heh.
@AlaskaChickBlog @ExtremelyAvg Uhmm, and not together asleep!
@AlaskaChickBlog @ExtremelyAvg Oh, dang it. And, THANK YOU!
@Soulati | B2B Social Media Marketing @ExtremelyAvg Ya know… when I ask the trainees and guides to do something, even when I phrase it as a sweet question or suggestion….? It isn’t really a request.. Umm, ok, whatever. Sure thing! Now, whaddya want me to do and how do I do it. (Use really small words, ok?!)
@Soulati | B2B Social Media Marketing @ExtremelyAvg (I’m sure glad she cleared THAT right up)
@AlaskaChickBlog @ExtremelyAvg Hah. I think you both are already doing it! Dunno. I’m seeing all these communities with moderators galore and then there’s little old me. I am just flying by the seat of my saddle and you guys are helping read the blog posts and encourage comments already. I think you’re already moderators!
@AlaskaChickBlog @ExtremelyAvg Hah. I think you both are already doing it! Dunno. I’m seeing all these communities with moderators galore and then there’s little old me. I am just flying by the seat of my saddle and you guys are helping read the blog posts and encourage comments already. I think you’re already moderators!
@AlaskaChickBlog @ExtremelyAvg Uhmmm. Done.
@Soulati | B2B Social Media Marketing @ExtremelyAvg What did you do? LOL Good Lord.
@AlaskaChickBlog @Soulati | B2B Social Media Marketing I feel like I’m lost. What has happened?
@ExtremelyAvg @Soulati | B2B Social Media Marketing I think you just became a moderator for Bloggers Unite…. snickering….
Sure! Send me the link or an invite…or, I can try to look for you (although that may take a while..not very familiar). Thanks!
@SandyAppleyard This ought to get you there, Sandy…I hope!
https://plus.google.com/u/0/communities/104645779738731909136?cfem=1
@Soulati | B2B Social Media Marketing I actually spoke too soon, I found it 🙂 Thanks for the invite! Glad to be part of the community now 🙂
I love it! The fun of Facebook with the depth of bloggers. Perfect.
@BetsyKCross Love it! Perfectly said.
@BetsyKCross Girl; You’re SPOT ON! The common thread is bloggers and it invites conversation; whereas, Triberr invites sharing and FB invites — WHAT?
@Soulati | B2B Social Media Marketing I really really appreciate Triberr, but the reality is that tribemates (except for the original tribe I was on-Rockstars- where everybody read and commented and shared each other’s posts) just share posts. I know that communities are encouraged but the platform is hard for me to use….maybe not everyone has the same experience?
Waiting to see…I think that Google plus has become unworkable to me.
So please show me something…waiting to see…
@monkeyofstick Have you joined Bloggers Unite? Please do. It’s a different community than what I’m seeing. Less serious. i want to keep the tone warm and welcoming; like right here.
Tell me what you mean by unworkable? I’d like to help!
I left G+ earlier this year as it wasn’t working for me – I saw it as just another time suck full of self-promotion and lack of true interaction. The Communities dragged me back in – best move Google has made with their platform.
@Danny Brown I’ve spent more time on the communities in the last week than I had on G+ since about a month after they started. It does seem like gotten me interested again.
@ExtremelyAvg @Danny Brown I tried (as I was told…when G+ started) and was lost and alone… even though I had many folks in “circles” but in Bloggers Unite I have found another great community already, @Danny Brown . GREAT content, I certainly wouldn’t have found, by people I hadn’t met…. more, I found (already) help, conversation and people I enjoy.
“True interaction.” There are times, Danny (and Brian) I feel the same about Twitter and even Face Book… I feel like I am sitting in the woods, just talking to myself! LOL…. Even in the Tribes I am part of, with Triber, I feel completely alone and out of place. I don’t feel (or see) my posts being passed along and certainly no conversation taking place.
You’ve ( @Danny Brown ) written about this very fact (I know this, because it is in my study-binders I have read and printed) many times in the past. It isn’t G+, it isn’t Triberr or Twitter or any of the rest… it is the people. The people we choose to be with, learn from, talk WITH, surround ourselves with.
It is the same people….they are who we have and know… It is new people, new contacts, new teachers that attract me to to different places. Each place I have dedicated my time to, have brought blessings into my life.
@AlaskaChickBlog @ExtremelyAvg @Danny Brown Well said, Amber-Lee. You are a great inspiration to those in our fledgling community with your energy and spirit.
Uhmm, you feel like you’re alone in the woods talking to yourself because, uhmm, YOU ARE! Dang girl, you’re in the saddle every day hopping through the forest looking for food.
@Soulati | B2B Social Media Marketing @ExtremelyAvg @Danny Brown Well. Not at the moment! LOL…I am sitting in my spot by the window (I wrote this post last week), listening to “Momma, Look!” every 4 seconds and “Mom, you gotta see this!”, at about 9 second intervals, trying to get my head back in the game! Sitting with the lights off, because the children like the Christmas tree lighting….
@Danny Brown And, look at what your G+ community is already bearing — lotsa fruit! Love those high-level, intelligent comments already in Marketing Influencers (sorry if I bombed the name) and the back and forth on the latest convo in re CMOs.
Have to agree; it’s pulling in everyone and I hate the clutter of FB right now. It’s extremely hard for me to get traction as there’s such a wide berth of audiences/non-audiences there. Thanks for coming over, Danny!
Thanks for the invite. I still haven’t been an active member of G+. I still am not. The communities seem interesting. But don’t you think they are similar to FB groups in some way?