Facebook vs. Google+ "Circles" - A New Social Network

On June 28, 2011 --> Google launched a brand new product called Google+. The product is currently in invitation-only Beta but will soon be released to the general public.

Google surprised the world this week when it unveiled Google+, the search giant's answer to Facebook. It's huge, it's social, and it's totally in your face. Google is clearly betting big on its latest foray into social networking, and it's making a point of highlighting many of the differences--and potential advantages--over Facebook.

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Google's New Social Network is called: Circles

Circles (kinda like, Social Circles) are what Google calls the various groups that you can organize your friends into. Once you've got them set up and populated, you then can pick which circles get to see the stuff you share.

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Some Are Already Praising the new Google+ Product

While tech enthusiasts are widely praising the new Google+ Product, some have found that the one feature that could take away from Facebook where it’s most dominant: Time on the site.

Facebook users are known for staying on the site for over half an hour a day. Yet many would ask the question, “Why on earth would anybody switch to Google+ from Facebook?”

However the reality is ... that users won’t have the option of not using Google+.

FACT: Google's Network already has more users than Facebook

Google has over one billion users. Users aren’t going to suddenly leave Facebook in droves, they’re just going to spend more time on all the sites in Google’s network.

As you're browsing around Google-powered sites there’s occasionally a red notification alert that pops up and immediately grabs your attention. Soon enough users are clicking through the various notifications and seeing what their friends have shared and who has recently begun sharing with them.

Is Google+ A Facebook Killer?

No, Google+ is not a “Facebook killer, but despite the company’s numerous failed attempts at getting into social media, the new Plus product gives users no other option but to accept the fact that Google is becoming exactly that: social.

This is clearly just the start. Once Google+ becomes stable and more widely used, the company will attempt to compete with Facebook where it matters most by building an entire social platform. The notifications are just one indicator of what lays ahead.

Have you tried Google+ yet? What do you think of their new Project?

Sources:  Google introduces the new Google+ Project! | Click here to view the Google+ Demo 

Abridged: Peter Pachal, PCMag.com

10 Most Common Oversights in Digital Marketing

1. I have 100k fans in Facebook, I rule: Not really, number of followers doesn’t matter; the work is to create a relationship where healthy conversation can happen.

2. Don’t have a track of mobile trends for client’s area: With users often using mobile as a searching device, the business has to turn on the mobile strategy.

3. Making traffic as goals: Traffic can often be misleading; analyzing the visitor’s site behavior can be give monition of your website’s goal. 

4. Same content everywhere:  Will you ever repeat the same conversation again and again to your friends? Spend time understanding user personas; find out where the new conversation is going on.

5. Outsource too much or too little? It’s always better to involve in areas like information gathering, which is the core part of digital marketing. On the other hand, you can push yourself to broaden your service or challenge your thinking by bringing in outside professionals.

6. Waiting for cat to bark? With the entire buzz about social media, clients might only want a social media strategy, that doesn’t mean that their needs end there. Get insight into your client's niche and find out what they want.

7. Not beware of best practices: Yes, you heard me! They gained success under specific circumstances, which might not suit your marketing strategies or situations. Create your own best practices and stick to it.

8. Settling for mediocrity: In the age of superior technology and unprecedented connectivity, settling for mediocrity is a crime. When direct mail marketing enjoys a 2% conversion rate, how an online marketers will be comfortable with a tremendously low 2.6% conversion rate.

9. Inconsistent in branding: Branding is not something you should compromise on your marketing campaign. Changing the image of your brand can be a good move at times and also runs the risk of confusing the loyal audiences. Be consistent while choose branding and build a loyal customer base.  

10. Missing out on new marketing opportunities: Digital marketing space is expanding at a frenzied pace. If you want to stay on top of trends, analyze how the new opportunity impacts your client’s campaign.

If you’ve avoided these pitfalls. Good job. But there’s still some work to do. We need to help others to avoid these mistakes.

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Vinoth is social media and search marketing professional at WebSide, a digital marketing agency located in India; He is a full time social media enthusiast, digital evangelist and a part time blogger. To know more about us,

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