Google+ for Business: How Google's Social Network Changes Everything [Kindle Edition]

I downloaded Google+ for Business on Christmas Day and read it on a long flight from Miami to Los Angeles. My initial motivation for picking it up wasn't so much to learn about Google+... I just enjoy reading Chris's blog and would happily pay for much of his free content. When I saw he had a new book out, I didn't have to think much about making a small purchase to support him.

Nevertheless, my motivations weren't entirely altruistic: I've been using Google+ every day, and figured if I could learn even one thing from the book, it would be well worth the minor investment of time and money.

Chris widely acknowledges the challenge of writing a traditionally published book about a rapidly changing software platform. With that in mind, he spends at least as much time explaining the "why" behind sharing content and cultivating a community. I especially liked a section on curation ("You are a magazine publisher") and the general theme of curiosity and gratitude that runs through the book. Want to be a rockstar on Google+? Be friendly and be helpful. Chris tells you how to do it.

I don't think you should buy this book to learn how to put people in circles, although Chris certainly covers the basics for those who are truly new to Google+. Instead, you should buy this book to learn more about how people can connect and collaborate using new media. If you like Chris Brogan, if you enjoyed Trust Agents, or if you want to learn about a fun new platform, get the book. It's a short read that can make a big difference in your work.

This is one of the best books there is on Google+, which doesn't say much because Google+ is so new, and especially so new to marketing. As I read the book, I liked it. I thought it was pretty good. But then - as someone who teaches Social Media Marketing online (Google 'Jason McDonald' to find me), I started to take it apart, started to think through my own ideas about what is really unique about Google+ vs. Facebook. Then it hit me: Chris misses the point. He really misses the point in this book.

GOOGLE+ IS MORE THAN A BETTER, GOOGLE VERSION OF FACEBOOK

One of the themes of Chris's book is that Google+ is an improvement on Facebook, but one backed by the world's largest search engine. That's true, but if Google+ is going to be just like Facebook, with just a few tweaks and changes, it won't work, in my humble opinion. Microsoft, after all, was much, much bigger than Google yet Google took over search, even though Microsoft easily killed Netscape. Kodak was once a huge company, and isn't exactly a formidable force in photography, is it? So there are no guarantees, even if you have powerful backing.

This matters because the approach that Chris takes is, largely, to recommend that you use Google+ for marketing similarly to how you might use Facebook. Create a business page, engage with customers in conversation, use a soft sell. All very well and true. But how is Google+ different? Where are the unique opportunities? The digital photography to Facebook's print photography that might be the game changer?

GOOGLE+'S BIG INNOVATION: AUTHORSHIP

Google+ is sponsored by Google, says Chris. And that's incredibly important. Yes, all very well and true. But it's not - I would argue - what will make Google+ succeed. What will make Google+ succeed is the integration of Google+ with search: a.k.a., social search. Through AUTHORSHIP and the RICH SNIPPETS (schema.org) profiles, all a bunch of mumbo jumbo, a witches' brew of geek speak (so far). What does this mean to you and your business? Google+ + Search = Social Search, and social search causes pictures of 'gurus' to appear next to the snippets returned in a Google search, or pictures of your close friends as you search through personal results.

Try some searches that are common, and matter to you. Be logged into Google+. Look for pictures. Watch, wonder, and learn. That's authorship at work. How do you influence authorship on Google+? That question isn't even asked in this book, let alone answered. That's a huge problem.

Authorship is THE huge opportunity today in Google+, with huge implications for marketers. First, it puts the center of gravity on the person (not the company) in Google+. That's different from Facebook. Second, it provides opportunities for rich snippets (pictures and profiles) on search results IF you reach a threshold of enough Google+ followers. And, third, it shares your pictures and +1's with your friends through the social network of Google+.

What's really cool and possibly game-changing about Google+ is social search. This book - admittedly rushed to press by Chris Brogan - misses the game-changing aspect about Google+. Hopefully my review points this out. Buy this book! It's a good one... BUT search Google for 'rich snippets' and 'authorship' or even better 'Google+ Marketing for Small Business' and make sure you understand authorship, as that is where the first fruits of Google+ are actually coming.

A NOTE TO OTHER REVIEWERS

This book (prior to my review) had ONLY five star reviews. OK, I get it. Friends, families, followers. I like Chris Brogan! I follow him on Google+. He's super smart! But, I write enough reviews on Amazon, that I fully expect to get some "hate mail" and "flames" as soon as this review goes public. Please - take a moment, and let's think together about reviews on Amazon. If every review is five stars, if every reviewer says it's the best book ever, is that really and truly a good book lover ecosystem?

I love books. I loved this book. Not because it was the end-all on Google+ but because it was a beginning. A book that I really disagree with, when you come down to it, but a book that helped me figure out what I think about Google+. For that, I thank Chris.

I also love discussion. And arguments, and disagreements. I love Amazon book reviews because we can have something other than a cheering squad for authors. We can have an actual discussion, debate about a book, its subject, and its author's perspective.

So my request to other Amazon reviewers is to respect Amazon as an ecosystem of book discussion, rather than a place for cheer leading and character assassination of those who disagree. Get it?

If you've picked up a book in the past about social media, hoping to learn how to use it in your business, you were probably disappointed. Most of them are fine books, but they are more about WHY than HOW, and so you finish them excited about the possibilities but with only vague ideas about what to do. It's frustrating.

Google+ for Business is the opposite of that.

I read it from cover to cover over the course of two days, and what impressed me about it is how actionable it is. Chris doesn't just give you general principles and strategies. He tells you exactly what to do.

For instance, he breaks down different "Work Days" for different types of people, such as restaurant owners, authors, real estate agents, salespeople, and so on, and then he gives a breakdown of exactly what they should be doing every day and why. If you're struggling to visualize exactly how Google+ fits into your marketing strategy, this gives you a concrete picture.

Also, the book is loaded with examples. Instead of just talking about how to set up your profile, Chris gives you examples of profiles he considers well done. Instead of just telling you how to set up your Circles, Chris tells you how he set up his circles. Instead of just handing you a general marketing strategy, he outlines how several real-life businesses, including a car dealer, are using it to make sales.

In a world where everything is virtual, it's refreshingly real. No, you're probably not going to learn a lot if you're already an expert on social media, but if you're a beginner looking for a guide to help you get started, this is a good book to pick up.