Why you should use Google+

Google+, pronounced and sometimes written as Google Plus or abbreviated as G+, is the social networking service launched by Google in June 2011. Google Plus as a networking service is probably the best which has come out of the Google stable so far. Such were the interest and expectations from the service that it attracted 20 million users within the first three weeks of its launch, the fastest by any social network to date.

Social Networking websites like Facebook, MySpace and Friendster have existed for many years and have a tremendous following rate. Facebook is the current leader with about 750 Million users. Almost all of us have used one of these services at some time or the other to preclude a discussion on what Social Networking Sites are. So we can straightaway jump to what Google + brings to the table.

What is Different

Two concepts make Google+ different from other Social Networking sites. The first is that Google+ insists on a real name and identity of a user unlike other sites, which allow pseudonyms, and fake identities. The underlying philosophy is that people behave better online when their true identities are known.

The second conceptual difference is that Google+ recognizes that a person is not the same to everyone else and does behave differently with different people and in different circumstances. Therefore, a system has been introduced which allows the users to decide what level of social interaction they want with different people. This gets the online interaction closer to the real-life interaction we have with others, by allowing us to selectively share things with different groups of people.

The basic G+ structure includes: Circles, Stream, Sparks, Hangouts, Huddles and the Instant Upload.

Why Use Google+

Google has created an ecosystem of sorts and has multiple applications and services vying for your attention. Most of these services are integrated with each other and you do not have to successively login and logout to access your data. When you are signed into Google for one of the many things you might be using, the Google bar on top automatically keeps updating you about the activity in your Google+ account. This saves you a lot of time and keeps you updated in real-time.

Google is one of the most trusted brands in the online space, has a strong privacy policy and assures a high degree of data security. Google’s endeavours towards insisting on real identities and the ease of removal of personal information reiterate its commitment towards transparency.

Google+ has better apps for mobile than any other social networking website. As things stand, more and more people are using mobiles for online activities.

Finding contacts and managing the conversation with them is far more easy and efficient with Google+.

You are not forced to follow people on Google+. If someone wants to follow you, he/she can do so without your approval. This is hardly a privacy concern since they will not be able to see your posts unless you have made it public or shared it with the ‘following’ circle. In any case, you can see the list of people following you and can block any person from seeing your posts.

Google has taken the transparency and free will to a new level by letting the users have full control over their personal data. An interface under the heading Data Liberation provides the users the ability to download all their data, anytime they want and even hide or delete this data permanently. This is totally unlike other services, which are reluctant to allow users to delete their accounts permanently.

In conclusion, we can say that Google+ is a powerful and efficient tool, which takes online networking closer to real life social networking. Google has a large bouquet of services and a huge user base, which makes the prospect of Google+ becoming a necessity in the coming days. Leave it out at your own risk.

You can learn more about Google plus and additional Google tools by downloading “Google Beyond google” written by Varinder Taprial and Priya Kanwar.