So I read this article http://janefriedman.com/2013/05/28/google-plus-for-authors/ and after reading it I decided to give Google+ a try. So I'm on Google+now and it's nice to have a profile that comes up when you search on me on Google. Though I have yet to figure out how to set up my Google Authorship (which sounds like it could be a really nice opportunity).
It took me a while but I discovered the communities and they're pretty cool. I joined several that meet my interests and it has been fun to check them out. Though I haven't been brave enough to post anything yet.
And Hangouts on Air sounds pretty cool too. But I still don't think I quite understand it yet. (Yes-- I'm excited but overwhelmed. :o) )
So what do you think of Google+? Have you tried it out? Are you thinking about trying it out? Or do you refuse to even consider adding one more social network to your busy life? (That's how I felt before I read this article!)
If you have tried it out please share any insights and advice? Is it worth the time? How can I use it best?
Thanks in advance for any insight you can provide!
Brianna,
ReplyDeleteWish I could give you some advice, but after reading the article you linked to, I can only say it sounds worth a try. Because Google is running both this and its search engine, you'll have some advantages, but wouldn't it be a good idea to actively keep up your online presence in other places also?
Then the question becomes how much of your life you want to spend online. For me, not that much.
It sounds promising from the article, Brianna. But I never pay attention to Google+ and though Facebook is a big part of my life, I use it mainly for social purposes. In fact I quit Linked In because I kept getting spammed by authors who saw I was a librarian and wanted to pitch their books to me. Unless someone targets me really intelligently--I know them personally or they know from Goodreads or the child_lit listserve that, for example, I love fantasy, mystery, am from New York City, am involved in Judaica, or whatever--I find it maddening to be approached on social media for business purposes.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for the opinions, guys!
ReplyDeleteGale-- That is definitely an important question. "How much of your life (do) you want to spend online". I am trying to keep things efficient so it won't be too much.
Ariel-- Yes there are soooo many social networks, aren't there? And it can be an interesting mix of personal and professional at times. Personally, I really enjoy Twitter and Facebook. For Twitter I try to be writing focussed and for Facebook I have separate accounts for personal and professional. But Google+ seems like it could be interesting. So I am trying to figure out if it could be worth it.
You're right, Brianna, it IS complicated, especially when you have more than one professional identity that interconnect. So I'm a librarian and also a writer as well as being a just a person who wants to stay in touch with people I like. BTW, I absolutely hate Twitter; I experience it as being bombarded with sharp, pointed shards of information, ads, bon mots and drivel all mixed together.
ReplyDeleteI joined Google+ a while back but haven't used it much since. You've inspired me to give it another shot. :-)
ReplyDeleteAriel-- So interesting to hear about your Twitter experience. I think it is working well for me because I am trying to be very careful about who I follow. I check out their posts before I follow them and make sure that they are truly interesting to me. (And if someone starts to post many posts that feel not interesting to me- I am getting much quicker to unfollow to improve my Twitter experience.)
ReplyDeleteAnna-- That seems to be my impression of Google+. There are many people who joined and haven't used it much. (Maybe they're all puzzled like me. :o)) Glad you're giving it another shot! Look forward to "seeing you" over there!
Hey Brianna,
ReplyDeleteKeep us updated on how your experience with this goes. It looks like it's worth a try, although I'm one of those who feels thinly spread electronically and wonder if or how I can devote more time to on-line activities. But these days it all changes so fast, you have to keep trying new things to find the ones that work for you. Look forward to hearing more about it.
Looking into this was on my "to do" list. And that list is ever growing. Thanks for linking to that article - it's definitely food for thought.
ReplyDeleteAnd definitely keep us posted as to how it works for you.
Wow! So glad I brought up this topic! Really interesting hearing everyone's opinions!
ReplyDeleteJulie-- I definitely understand about feeling "thinly spread electronically". Hoping to get some more insights into whether Google+ is worth investing some of that thinly spread time into. :o)
J.A.-- Oh my! How I understand that ever growing "to do" list! I look forward to keeping everyone posted about how it works out!
Brianna, maybe I'll give Twitter another chance. It's a big universe of information out there and I do want to dip my toe into it.
ReplyDelete