July 2, 2011 77 Comments

Conversations Matter in Google+

Conversations matter in Google+

So far, one thing I notice about Google+, is that you get rewarded for starting and carrying on good conversations. Wow, doesn’t that sound like the Kumbaya phase of social media? Well, it’s true inside of Google+, at least for now. There’s a ranking system that puts people’s most interacted-with stuff at the top of the stream of information, such that the most talked-about pieces are the most relevant. To that end, conversation certainly matters.

The conversations I’ve started that have had “legs,” so to speak, have been:

  • Which no-longer-necessary tech do you still like, just because? Like Sony Minidisc recorders. Any others? (39 comments as I write this).
  • Okay. I’m totally really honestly getting off G+ for a whole… I dunno… 3 hours or something. No, really! #icanstopanytimeiwant #ilearneditfromyoudad! (26 or so comments)
  • Obvoius things that SHOULD be integrated but aren’t: Docs (maybe it’d become a Wave that makes sense), Places (not geolocation, but places pages), and… your turn! (65 comments)

And so on.

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The key things going on inside Google+ so far are sharing stuff, where the interesting factor rules, and conversations, where the ability to keep an interesting and participatory conversation matters. To me, these are the keys to the game at these early days. Well, that and managing your circles so that you keep reasonable filters on things as they grow.

Just another dispatch from my experiences inside of Google+

Oh, and if you’d like a screencast of Google+, I’ve got that, too:

Can’t see the video? CLICK HERE.

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  • http://onlineitguide.com James Thoenes

    I’m getting the impression you kinda like it.
    What I’ve seen of Google+ looks very cool. Hopefully, by the time I get it someone will still be using it.
    One big problem with Wave is no one I knew ever seemed to use it. Having Google+ integrated with all the Google sites with the bar should help.

    • http://rickmanelius.com Rick Manelius

      This is my same fear (converting other people to a completely new system). But what I’ve liked about the +1 feature itself is that it’s already in search results and so easy to use. I actually enjoy it way more than the like functionality in facebook.

  • http://twitter.com/JEFFin140 Jeffrey Reidy

    It’s not necessarily the most interacted with stuff that lands at the top of the stream, new comments bump posts to the top. More comments/conversation does equal more bumps to the top though. :)

    • http://rickmanelius.com Rick Manelius

      So the question I have: is this effect simple bumping due to recency? is it due to popularity? or a combination of both?

      Simple bumping due to the last time posted is cool, but not nearly as awesome as popular threads sticking for a while versus noisy threads that people don’t necessarily find as valuable.

      Excited to check this out when they’ve worked out the bugs.

      • http://twitter.com/JEFFin140 Jeffrey Reidy

        Unless Chris has seen something different than what I’ve seen, it’s bumping due to the latest comment. You can mute any post or thread so that it doesn’t appear in your stream anymore, which comes in handy for posts by Scoble or Pirillo, for example. Not to knock their posts, but after 5-6 bumps, if you’re not participating in that particular conversation it’s just better to mute the post for your own sanity.

        • http://blogging4u.tk Malik

          Looks like it’s going to be fun. I would love to be a part of Google+.

      • http://twitter.com/JEFFin140 Jeffrey Reidy

        Actually, it looks like they just recently shut the bumping off and posts remain in chronological order.

        • http://rickmanelius.com Rick Manelius

          I imagine they are going to adjust this frequently and gauge user response to figure out which combination is the most popular.

          Unless they try to go the super custom route, allowing users to pick how items rank in their feeds. That would be cool, but probably introduce too much complexity for the casual user… unless of course, the target isn’t casual users.

          Lots to think about for sure. I’m hopeful that this makes an meaningful impact in the social mediasphere.

  • Adena DeMonte

    I agree this is a huge benefit to Google+ not seen on Facebook and Twitter. I’m currently posting quite a bit of content on Google+ but no one is interacting with my content. So I supposed Google+ becomes more “fun” and valuable once you have a lot of people following you. If my friends are able to join and want to at some point this may be a null matter. However, without a huge following of current Google+ers, it’s tough to say that putting value on conversations that already have a lot of content will add value to anyone who has less friends / people who have them in their circles / followers. That leads me to want to “get a lot of people to add me to their circles,” but I’m not sure how to do that. I’m not sure if the game is to get a lot of people to follow me (ala Twitter) or to get important people to follow me (ala Quora) or to get people I know to follow me (ala Facebook) or all of the above.

    • http://onlineitguide.com James Thoenes

      If the “insane” demand keeps up, I don’t think finding people to follow you will eventually be a problem.
      My fear is that by the time everyone gets an invite, some people won’t want to try it (Wave).
      I do know people who should like it – afraid to post on Facebook because they don’t want certain people to see it. The question is will they give it a try or listen to negatives  when they get a chance.

      • http://chrisbrogan.com Chris Brogan

        There are ways to keep your posts inside your circles. The privacy controls are powerful.

        • http://onlineitguide.com James Thoenes

          I’m looking forward to it!

  • http://rickmanelius.com Rick Manelius

    I like the new tagline (helping people own their future).

    • http://chrisbrogan.com Chris Brogan

      That’s for a new project coming soon. 

  • http://twitter.com/MikeSmarr MikeSmarr

    I like the possibilities here. Just took the tour and I dig it.

    A nice change of pace from FB.

  • http://twitter.com/silktide Silktide

    Facebook ranks conversations like this too, and has done for some time. Friends updates that don’t have any comments after a certain amount of time might not be shown, but updates with many comments and likes are. 

    • http://chrisbrogan.com Chris Brogan

      Right. My point being that a good conversation is important in there. : ) 

      • paul martin

        elsewhere in this conversation you say integration with docs for biz is a must, I am not so sure – there is a line between social and contractual; as always a spectrum with cash as king at one end and some other metric at the other.

        What high ground is best to work from for business – I use a gmail universe to host my art but my commercial identity is elsewhere – it is makes cashflow clearer.  

        We had a security study issue at school with a question to students about “best passwords”, when you searched there was no answer online; substituting best with strong took you to a Microsoft monologue that helped and led to a debate on the merits of such as internet wide use of single passwords.  

        What Wave did was get in the way of the conversation, Fb enables it in a particular space; courtesy of Physics we live in a Multi-D world and time will tell if + suceeds 

    • http://twitter.com/JeffRatcliff Jeff Ratcliff

      I don’t like that aspect of Facebook. I’m not interested in what an algorithm thinks is important.

  • http://www.wfgreview.com/ WFG Reviews

    Nice post !! Nice key things, where the interesting factor rules, and conversations, where the ability to keep an interesting and participatory conversation matters.

  • http://www.wfgreview.com/ WFG Reviews

    Nice post !! Nice key things, where the interesting factor rules, and conversations, where the ability to keep an interesting and participatory conversation matters.

  • http://buckspaid.com BucksPaid

    Useful Information. Google + will be rival with FB soon

  • http://twitter.com/susangiurleo susangiurleo

    I know nothing of Google +, however I want to note that in your screen capture above, I find it interesting that it is all men who can relate to the magical ‘lost’ bag of summer stuff.  We have one of those, too, apparently. Yet it seems  the woman in the house can find it…

    Enjoy summering….

    : )

  • http://twitter.com/NazHina Hinanaz

    As far as Marketing is on way, i hope it will over shade other Social media tools… Time will prove it…

  • http://twitter.com/NazHina Hinanaz

    As far as Marketing is on way, i hope it will over shade other Social media tools… Time will prove it…

  • http://twitter.com/NazHina Hinanaz

    As far as Marketing is on way, i hope it will over shade other Social media tools… Time will prove it…

  • http://twitter.com/HYVAssistant Owen McGab Enaohwo

    @chrisbrogan:disqus any ideas when google will come out with a specific Google+ version for businesses? Just like the Facebook Fanpages?

    • http://reworkingtoday.com/ Derek Jensen

      Keep in mind they probably want to make smart iterations.

  • Christina

    Thank you, Chris. I honestly was thrown by the +1, I didn’t understand it very well. You’re always great at explaining things easily and quickly. Now I get it, thanks to you—again. Much appreciated! Enjoy the weekend. Best, Christina

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  • http://blogging4u.tk Malik

    Thanks for sharing. Looks like it’s really going to push facebook!

  • Al Pittampalli

    I haven’t even begun to make up my mind about Google+.  This post make me look forward to trying it out. 

  • http://www.socialmarketingdynamics.com/ Social Marketing Dynamics

    This post make me look forward to trying it out and it has a big potential to over shade other Social media tools.

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  • Lucy Banta

    Odd that I can’t seem to Google+ this article.

  • Escentika Spa

    Google has helped many small businesses like mine.  GMail, Docs, Voice, Calendar the list is big.  I have a soft corner towards Google but I have high respect for their team as well.  FB has let so many down with it’s security concerns.  I have never been able to get response from FB CSR on anything other than ad where as Google folks have been good on responding to feedbacks.  Go google+!   

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  • Scott M.

    I might be able to relate if Google would allow me to use the friggin service. I’m growing ired of waiting and listening to everyone gush about Goole+. very frustrating for those of us whomhaven’t been invited to the Country Club.

  • Anita Clark

    Waiting paitently (well, trying) for my turn to play with Google+.  Sure hope it’s available to the masses soon.

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  • http://www.linesvinesjonastimes.co.cc/why-should-you-use-ebridge-advatage-for-your-business eBridge advertising

    Great post…Nice key things ,where the interesting factor rules,and conversations,where the ability to keep an interesting and participatory conversation matters.

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  • http://twitter.com/GregChirinian Greg Chirinian

    Do you think this will eventually lead to a Google commenting system on Blogs where you get rewarded by better SEO ratings Also will that lead to more people commenting on Google+and using Twitter less

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  • http://twitter.com/meg_nolia meg w

    what’s the difference between a conversation rising up the ranks in Google+ according to the number of responses and the way a FB status-and-comments rises to the top of the NewsFeed according the number of responses? from the outside looks quite similar – ?

    • Elizabeth

      I was wondering the same.  Sounds like “Top News” to me.

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    Google+ is the latest one..you can add people and make groups in that.

  • http://www.thewholesaleforums.co.uk/forum/dropshipping/ Jon

    Like Facebook, Google+ becomes exciting when there are people interacting with you. Markets are really conversations, and this platform exactly does that.

  • http://www.fridaytrafficreport.com JackHumphrey

    I think one of the reasons G+ is still holding really high quality is that we have all experienced what we did to ourselves on the other networks, and we’re damned sure not going to repeat those mistakes on G+.  

    This time, I think people are hell-bent on making this what they always wanted Twitter or Facebook to be.

    Fascinating that content quality remains so high on my stream.  Of course you are responsible for curating people and circles to make sure that is the case.

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    Wow.Google+ is the latest one..

  • http://mundyandyazdi.com Rexxy

    Conversation rising up the ranks in Google+ according to the number of
    responses and the way a FB status-and-comments rises to the top of the
    NewsFeed according the number of responses?

  • http://facedoctor.net Face Doctor

    About Goole+. very frustrating for those of us whomhaven’t been invited to the Country Club. 

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