Will You Wait & See or Are You Riding The Google+ Bandwagon?!

Twitter has been on fire lately with posts about pending world domination because now we have Google+.  The early adopters are calling for a mass exodus from Facebook ~ even Twitter & LinkedIn. Soon these newly self-crowned Google+ "experts" will say we should pledge allegiance to the man-made deity who is all things Google.

On the other side of the camp are regular people with insights on their initial experiences and in that realm - reviews are mixed. Initial concerns from the "reals" are over duplication of content, privacy, who is able to put you in their circle, being married to a single e-mail address - the one you initially build the profile with and even that the majority of the users are tech nerdy guys. ;  )
Take this post from Jacob Morgan:Google Plus, the Best Way to Duplicate Your Content or an investor's viewpoint: Google+ vs. The World – Can Google Beat Facebook?

For those of you not interested yet in selling your soul to beg for a Google+ invitation, this is the screen you see whenever you click" +You" ~ a big fat "You're just not cool enough for us yet" rejection screen.

So I find a ton of humor in this fever that has been blanketing twitter:

@Mashable posted this humorous video link from hulu:

http://mashable.com/2011/07/13/google-plus-jimmy-fallon/

Of course you have high profile people who are exiting out of Google+'s "public view" as quickly as they hopped on board:

Wouldn't be a cool tech thing without the brutally desperate ones who get busted trolling for Google+ friends:

Plus the hot-tempered testosterone fueled signs of lack of patience over etiquette, or lack there of:

I found that @Nakia, one of my favorite artists from NBC's The Voice, is on the wagon and he says "I'm still figuring out how I want to interact on this here G+ thingy. lol"

Infinite insightful wisdom abounds, for example this virtual fortune telling moment from @garyvee:

Some of my favorite informative posts about Google+ are captured below - Check them out if you want to be an informed decision maker - not just another sheep following the herd.

From Olivier Blanchard aka @thebrandbuilder

Is Google+ really a big deal? 8+ things everyone should know about Google+

From @JasonFalls

Reality To Soon Set In On Google+

From @Mashable

Google+: The Complete Guide

If you liked this post, you might also enjoy: The Lure of Blog Comments or Converting those who say: Foursquare's NOT for Me!

Fun Tweets about the MN State Fair

If you've wondered what people might be tweeting about at the Minnesota State Fair, but haven't had time to check it out, I've gathered a little sampling of today's twitter conversations around the @MinnStateFair. I'll be attending this coming Sunday, so I should have some fun photos to share for a future post. I hope you enjoy these!


@UnplannedCookin  Some guy just proposed in @MinnStateFair swine barn. While she was petting pig.

@drewcarl Roommate @chriswschorgl lost his contacts in the Hurricane Simulator @MinnStateFair  

@joeyprivette: I am @smbmsp @minnstatefair My 1st #smbmsp want to meet IRL? 

@SkyGuy5  @MinnStateFair I found the choco covered bacon you pointed me at...thanks! http://twitpic.com/2kzclm  

@FrenchMeadow  RT @crazedprincess: Yum eating scones at @FrenchMeadow at @MinnStateFair  

@Minnesota_Swarm @Bisc27 Don't knock back too many (fill in the blank) on a stick. you need to stay in shape for the season! @MinnStateFair  

@BlueCrossMN  Do you have pictures from @MinnStateFair with our "do" groove guy? We want to see them! "Like" us on Facebook.com/docampaign & share!  

@LAhopp  Pretty sure I got wind burn at the @MinnStateFair today. The forecast said "Crazy Wind" and it was very true.

@Natron44: Spotted these guys @MinnStateFair. Call me crazy, but I'm pretty sure these are smaller than normal. http://twitpic.com/2kwsl8

@OMyFamily  How cute is this? RT @MinnStateFair Today's Bride & Groom getting interviewed by the @963NOWradio DJ #mnstatefair http://twitpic.com/2kwdza

@mnbridemag  Fun! RT @DOksnevadPhoto: Today's bridal party just went down the Giant Slide @MinnStateFair! http://twitpic.com/2kw4ku

@rachaelly  @MinnStateFair help! Where can I find chocolate covered bacon? 

@SweetMarthas "There's no place like home!" -Sweet Martha about being at the @MinnStateFair vs other fairs #smbmsp

@mattkoob  Omw to the @minnstatefair Woohoo! Must. have. camel. 


Of course I have to include one of my own:
@mrobin032009 @MinnStateFair It's been decades since I've gone, but this Sunday's the day for my 3 yr old's 1st trip. See you soon!


The best "Tweets in a Row Award" goes to: 
@quick13 Biggest problem with having #smbmsp in a tent @minnstatefair, finding nearest bathroom. 

@quick13 Seriously, anyone know where the bathroom closest to #smbmsp is @minnstatefair?

And the "Most RT'd of the Day Award" goes to: RT @BMJEWELL "Bacon is sex in the skillet" from Big Fat Bacon @Minnstatefair #smbmsp 

Update from 9/4 ~ Since it wouldn't be the fair without the agriculture competitions & more things on sticks: 
@andrewzimmern  Largest is 842 pounds http://twitpic.com/2l7my4  

@DeRushaJ  Getting ready to take pics at WCCO's State Fair booth. Preparation = beer on a stick. http://twitpic.com/2lb1di  

The Evolution of My Social Networking Consciousness

I barely got a few pages into the introduction of Marketing 2.0 Bridging the Gap between Seller and Buyer through Social Media Marketing, by Bernie Borges, when I found some inspiration for this post.

I've been sitting on a draft which gave my top 3 reasons for using Twitter, but wanted to reach deeper. What's more important than a mere declaration of "Why I Like Twitter" may be talking about how I came to become aware of Twitter & how that new lens on the world has changed me as a person and a marketer. You could say it was a single step in the evolution of my social media & social networking consciousness.

My job layoff, which became official in January of 2009 meant I was thrust into a search for relevant information & adult conversation.  I've posted before about how this manifested in my role as a SAHM, but first I had to be engaged in my role as a job seeker.

In order to find a job, in this day & age, you rely on generating leads from your contacts, not unlike a sales process.  I had already been in the habit of keeping up with old friends and co-workers, long before it was the fashionable thing to do.  True networking, however, means generating new contacts outside of your circle. I made the conscious decision to open a Twitter account in March of 2009 & thus my handle contains 032009. I originally protected my tweets, but at the advice of @debbieweil , who DM'd me after I followed her and said I'd "get much more mileage out of Twitter that way..." I quickly unprotected them.  I'm so glad I did. Debbie was so right.

"And we're seeing a higher level of consciousness and many more opportunities for people to challenge their present ways of thinking and move into a grander and larger experience of who they really are."  by Neale Donald Walsch

 

That brings me to the Number One reason I chose twitter - Relationships, Relationships, Relationships.  I can't stress the importance of this enough ~ You can't continue to build a strong network without thinking outside of the norm and those whom you are familiar with. You also need to make a conscious effort to extend & grow those new relationships off-line, in real life (IRL) or face-to-face.

"If you put yourself in a position where you have to stretch outside your comfort zone, then you are forced to expand your consciousness."  by Les Brown

 

Social sites like Twitter give you the unique opportunity to engage in conversation in real time, or pretty close to it.  That's my reason Number Two. Whatever you tweet, whether it's directed to a particular individual or to any one of your followers, if it's something that resonates, you can always count on a reaction - a reply/tweet back, a re-tweet (RT) or a direct message (DM), which is very empowering.  Whether you choose to believe it or not thousands of real life relationships have been started out there.  It's an interface like none other & it is a great platform to reveal yourself & to exhibit properties that people can connect with & engage in fluid conversations on a regular basis.

So what's reason Number Three? What do you crave? Many people crave validation around ideas, thoughts, concerns & feelings & Twitter provides an avenue to share those things & get honest feedback. As you regularly share information that's important to you with those who may have similar interests people continue to watch & see what's next.

When you build a social networking site profile you are marketing yourself and your personal brand. Defining who you are, what you represent & what you have to offer your reader is paramount. Don't think for a moment that you are not being analyzed over & over when people read your tweets, your blog from time to time, or your Twitter bio - they are. It's no LinkedIn, but your Twitter timeline is telling. It's like the reader/follower has a magnifying glass into your soul, your belief system & your social consciousness. Spend quality time fine-tuning your messages & tweeting thoughtfully. Your true colors will show and hopefully that's a good thing.