There’s no doubt that Google+ is awesome. There is no doubt in my mind that it is a strong contender for Facebook.
What I find highly curious about it, is just how easy will it be to sell to clients?
Despite the grasp Facebook has on the social space. many businesses are still to dip their toes into it’s chartered territory. Then not to forget that Twitter too is largely untapped as it seems to scare a large portion of business owners.
(I have no idea why there is a water theme, maybe I drank too much at lunch?)
However, back to business, these two Social Media giants are here, they are solid, not everyone uses them, but they are known, familiar and household names.
When presenting to a client, they are aware of Facebook and twitter, in fact they usually come running at full speed telling us they NEED to be on Facebook and Twitter. These guys have heard of Google, they know Google, but not in a Social Media capacity. So, I cannot wait to see which businesses will be taking the brave steps to go there first.

In the Social Media world it is easy to say that something is awesome and has great potential and I guess, for Google’s part, when you have a bunch of enthusiastic, cool, converse wearing people on board, it is going to be easy to sell. However, it is not the Social Media world that needs to be sold on it.
Someone said to me the other day, that Google+ is the buzz word in social media. While I agreed, I couldn’t help but think that they flagged up an interesting point. If you move in Social Media circles (hehe) it IS a buzz word. But not in the outside world.
It is a bit like Coke and Pepsi. Facebook being Coke and Google+ being Pepsi.
What? I hear you say, is she nuts? And yes while most of you who know me can verify this, stay with me for a few more minutes.
No matter how hard Pepsi has tried, (and boy has it tried), it will never be Coke. Coke was there first. It is brand recognition at it’s finest, the real thing. It’s Coke. and you cannot really mess with Coke. When you ask for a Coke in a restaurant and they say, “sorry we don’t have Coke, we have Pepsi”, although you say, “that’s ok”. It’s not the same is it?
So when clients came in and say “I need Social Media, give me Twitter and Facebook” How easy will it be to say, “sorry, we don’t have Twitter and Facebook, we have Google+?” Are our clients going to think they are shortchanged and demand Coke? (I mean Facebook!)
When most businesses are still using Facebook and Twitter as buzz words, how will they cope with the new kid on the block? Especially with Google’s past attempts at taking a chunk of the Social Networking Space.

Now, Google is clever. Fact. I do not doubt all this has been taken into account when creating its strategic approach to marketing Google+, but still. Facebook already has the name, the noteriety and the users. It was here first.

So my fascination is in seeing how it will pan out, there’s now doubt it will be a great thing to witness and be part of. We’re all finding our feet with it and enjoying it as a new toy, I personally want mine to stay clear and uncrowded, a social space I can breathe in and enjoy like the first days of Facebook. I think I’ll be more choosy about my circles (and maybe that is the selling point right there?)
Whatever happens, the migration to Google+ will be slow and part of me hopes they pull it off as you have to applaud them for never giving up.
Stay tuned!