Social Media Winner or Loser: Facebook, Chris Brogan and Google Plus
Posted by Jody Raines
Have you abandonned Facebook for Google Plus? Are you frustrated with the Ticker and the Timeline feature?
According to a recent poll conducted by USA Today and Gallup, if you "dislike" them, you are not alone. Over half of Facebook users who know about the changes dislike them! The poll goes on to suggest that over 24% of people who are on the site every day are very concerned with privacy.
Now that some of the dust has settled, it's interesting to note that Google Plus has increased users recently reporting that the three and a half month old service already has over 40 million users, and it's growing quickly.
As Facebook made their changes, Google Plus opened enrollment, and more and more profiles on Facebook started showing a "Moved To Google Plus" graphic. For an example of this, take a peek at Chris Brogan's Facebook page!
Chris is a thought leader in Social Media, so when he abandons his Facebook page (it's still there, but he seems to be posting more from Google+) it's noteworthy. Incidentally, Chris Brogan is the New York Times bestselling co-author of Trust Agents (an excellent read if you haven't already picked up a copy).
Personally, I originally hated the ticker and now I don't mind it. It's invasive, that's for sure. As you watch the ticker scroll, you can see when your friends are liking pictures and status updates, or making comments on other people who you may not be connected with. Initially I was concerned about privacy, but if you are conscientous about what you post and appreciate that everything eventually is public, it becomes less of an issue.
And another thing about the ticker - you cannot hide whether you are on if you click that you like other's public posts. The days of hiding or ignoring that chat box are behind us!
What's fascinating is that the ticker gives a sense that there is always something happening.
Notable about the ticker - people that you are friends with, who may have blocked their status updates may not be aware that their updates are showing up on the ticker. If the original post was considered public, then the comments are all considered public, regardless of individual settings. It's important to understand that if you've ever had a stalker!
Teenagers don't like the ticker either. According to a recent article in Read Write Web, teens are spending less time on Facebook and more time on Google+. They feel that the ticker is annoying and refer to it as a "scrolling stalker".
Very perceptive.
What do you think about the Facebook changes? Have you decided to spend more time on Google Plus? Do you thing G+ will eventually overshadow Facebook, or is Facebook here to stay?
WebMarCom is an Internet strategy and Web Marketing Communications Agency based in South Jersey and Philadelphia.