DeAno's Perspective: The Google+ Takeover

Google+ comments are live on YouTube, which is a great thing that provides easier threaded commenting and more control over where your comments go and who can see them, and for the content creators provides more ways than ever to monitor discussions around their videos, stop racist/homophobic trash from ever appearing on their videos at all, makes audience interaction easier and more seamless than ever, and generally provides a better experience for all involved.

This hasn't come without complaints, so I thought I'd go ahead and address the main issue that I see popping up, as well as clear up a critical misunderstanding.

The main issue/misunderstanding that I'm seeing from people goes something like this: "I don't want a Google+ account!  All I want is a YouTube account!"  Let me make this totally 100% crystal clear: There is no such thing as just a YouTube account.  Back in 2011, VP of Product Management +Bradley Horowitz said in an interview with Wired that Google+ is Google.  People either forgot or thought that he was kidding, so let me lay it out for you.  If you think of +Google+ as just a social network or basically Google's version of Facebook, you're not seeing the big picture.  Google+ is the backbone for each and every service/product offered by Google.  Everything from YouTube to Google Calendar to Gmail to Hangouts to Blogger to Android to Maps to Drive - everything ties back to Google+.  To not want a Google+ account is to not want an account on any of Google's services whatsoever - they are one and the same.

If you choose not to use the social aspects of G+, so be it!  No one is forcing you to even touch the stream, and there are millions of G+ account holders that opt not to.  It's there for you if you want it, and if not it's really not that big of a deal.  The important thing that you need to realize is this how it's going to be from here on out.  Google+ is Google, and that's just the way it is.

TC Summit 2013

Photo by +Michael Banks 

What an amazing week!

Actually, let me back up.  This amazing week actually happened about a month ago.  See, back then I was in Google's Rising Star program for Google+, having a high product knowledge and an equally high disposition to share that knowledge in the Google+ Help Community, assisting other users in their G+ journeys in any way I could.  I'd been in the program since its inception and was just doing what I do.

About a month ago I get an e-mail from the Community Manager for G+ +Natalie Villalobos who wanted know if I'd like to become a Top Contributor for the product.  That's pretty much like being in the minor league and being called up to the majors, so because I'm not an idiot I accepted straight away!  A bit of paperwork later (including a NDA), and within 48 hours I was a newly branded TC...right along with my buddy +Kim Beasley as I quickly found out.

Photo by +Michael Banks 

Happy to be apart of the program, I quickly got to know the other TCs in my group that I didn't know already and got to work helping to provide the #BestHelpOnTheWeb that the TCs are famous for.

The next day, I get another e-mail from Natalie, this one an almost "by the way" sort of thing, explaining that Google was having a summit for their TCs and that they'd be flying us all out to the Bay Area for a few days...and that it was happening in three weeks.

Yeah...this is pretty much the point where I had to get out of my office and walk around for a bit and process what was happening here.

Fast forward to September 30th, and the good times began!

First thing was first, though - while there were fifteen G+ TC's there for me to meet, three in particular were extra important. The four of us have been friends on Google+ for a long time and became TCs around the same time period - we all took this journey together and it led us all here.

+Kim Beasley, +Ayoub Khote, +Michael Banks, and Yours Truly.
The Fabulous Four 

That accomplished, it was time to party! It was an amazing experience being able to meet with the rest of the crew, talk to Product Managers and give feedback directly, and even pick up a few new toys!

The Google Goodies!

Your highly motivated and truly dedicated team of TCs represented +Google+ well. We were the loudest, we had the most energy, and we were always front and center. There's not a single person who was there that doesn't know who the G+ TC 10X Mafia is!

Front and Center!
Photo credit: +Ayoub Khote 

Anybody can be a Top Contributor - it just takes a lot of work and a lot of love.  Basically a TC is a fellow user with a high level of product knowledge that uses it to help other users in the official Forums and/or Community.  TCs are chosen by Community Managers or suggested to CMs by other TCs, who look for consistency and the quality of a person’s answers.  

Being a TC is a lot of hard work, but there are some perks (like being able to attend the TC Summit).  You’ll tend to learn of new products and features long before anyone else, you have the ear of Product Managers and other Googlers actively looking for feedback for future changes/additions to the product, and a whole lot more!

You can go here for more information on the TC program, and if you think you have what it takes to join our ranks feel free to apply!

It truly hurt to have to leave my friends and come back home (I started missing our CMs the instant I'd left their presence), but it's good to know that we are all just a Hangout away and in two years we're doing it all over again! I'll leave you with this summation from +Ayoub Khote.

"We are the crazy ones, the loud, the proud, the happy dancers, the new kids on the old block... the ones who do things differently -- we're not fond of formality... You can join us, be annoyed by us, admire or vilify us, but the only thing you can't do is ignore us because we will change things... we will push a louder, prouder, Googlier help experience, and while some may see us as the crazy ones, we see wonder, because we who are crazy enough to be loud and proud, to make noise and not care, to not stop until we have answers, and to be more than a team, but be family? We can change the world, and our sense of wonder and joy are the things that will ensure we do." 

Your Google+ Top Contributor team.

My Thoughts On Google+

So, not long after I blogged about not being in, I got in!

I have to say, after repeated failed attempts by Mountain View to break into the social networking arena (Wave and Buzz, I'm looking at you!), G+ seems to just get it right.

In a nutshell, it's a full on assault at Facebook, and manages to take a few jabs at Twitter as well.  The core concept of G+ lies in how you decide who you want to share with.  G+ has Circles that you can place people into (and yes, you can place one person in multiple Circles), and when you post something, you can select, quite easily, what Circle(s) you want to share that post with.  You can even share a post with just one or two people, everyone on the web, or no one at all.

Also, you can select from a list on the left side of the page which Circle you want to see posts from at the moment.  By way of a for instance, if I just want to know what my gaming friends are up to, I select my Gamers Circle, and just posts from them are displayed.

Unlike Facebook, someone can add you to a Circle without you having to add them.  Think of that as someone following you, like on Twitter.  That means that if you make a post public, they can see it in their stream and comment on it.  They can share with you as well, but if they're not in one of your Circles then it won't appear in your main Stream (which avoids people being able to add clutter you don't want to see).  Instead there's a special stream called Incoming which houses posts from people who are following you.

It's very slick so far; already I've more or less stopped using Facebook and rely on G+ when I need to share things with people.  Even if a person isn't on G+, you can STILL add them to a Circle and share with them so long as you have their e-mail address.  If they aren't on G+, then they'll simply get an e-mail with what you wanted to share with them, as well as an invite to come join the service.

I'm having a blast with it, and would encourage everyone to give it a shot.  Should you do so, my G+ profile can be found at http://gplus.to/EvoAnubis

See you there!