CircleCount helps you better understand Google+

2013-06-07 17:41:24 (38 comments, 7 reshares, 85 +1s)

Some Things I Learned By Not Posting on Google+
or, why having an audience means you have responsibilities

A few months ago, I asked myself: if I stop publishing and become a content consumer/commenter instead, what will I learn?  Here's some of what I've discovered:

You shouldn't say anything if you have nothing truly valuable to say.
You'll hear everywhere that once you start blogging or tweeting, stopping is the worst possible thing you could do.  But I totally disagree.  We are inundated with noise on every channel.  It wasn't always this way - there was a time when "dark social" (things like IM, private chatrooms, email, etc.) was the only social on the Internet.  You had to seek out cat pictures if you wanted them.  Today, we all have a stage and all our stages are connected to each other - your audience is my audienceif yo... more »

2013-04-21 21:01:58 (96 comments, 8 reshares, 90 +1s)

Is Ad Targeting Evil?
In honor of an epic Twitter conversation I had last night with a Bing scientist (https://twitter.com/cmtrapolino), I want to start a conversation with you all about what may or may not be a sensitive topic: ad targeting.

Microsoft's #Scroogled  campaign has upset a great many people because -- at least in my opinion -- it's in poor taste, but Microsoft appears to feel that more people are upset because they didn't know their Gmail was being scanned.  

Maybe the Scroogled campaign can be about education.  Do you know just how often your data is being gathered and used for ad targeting?  More importantly, does it upset you to think your data is being used to target ads back at you?  If you feel this is "evil" or a "violation," please comment below and explain why -- especially if you also feel data gatheringis o... more »

2013-02-08 16:07:19 (106 comments, 143 reshares, 346 +1s)

Microsoft, you're a bunch of jerks.
Have you seen Microsoft's newest anti-Google campaign?  Check it out here: http://www.scroogled.com/ 

I can't help but respond.  Microsoft, you're totally on my bad side.  Here's why:

Scanning is scanning.
You talk like scanning email is only a privacy violation if that data is used to target ads, but scanning is scanning.  Direct quote from the Scroogled site: "Outlook.com only scans the contents of your email to help protect you and display, categorize, and sort your mail appropriately." 

If scanning my email is wrong, why scan it at all?  Oh, right -- because it's necessary to scan emails to protect users from spam -- and it's just an algorithm, not human beings.  Just like Gmail.

You advertise and scrape keywords, too.
Bing personalizes search,and Out... more »

2013-01-17 18:18:25 (25 comments, 35 reshares, 94 +1s)

Security Cameras Capture The Good, Too

Sometimes, it's just about how you look at things.  I highly recommend you watch this video - especially if you're feeling like the world is an ugly place.

2013-01-12 03:23:42 (28 comments, 3 reshares, 68 +1s)

Google+ Tip: Harness the Power of Local
Try adding everyone you know in your city to a local Circle.  It will give you a relevant list for when you want to create local events, start city-specific discussions ("I hate how little parking there is downtown!"), ask for restaurant recommendations, and more.

Also, if you're looking to meet new people in your city, you can use the Google+ mobile app's Nearby stream to surf what locals are saying and then add them to your local Circle once you get to know them a bit.  Just don't be creepy about it!  ;)

2013-01-01 06:25:43 (32 comments, 2 reshares, 128 +1s)

#HappyNewYear  Google+!

May your 2013 be filled with all the ghosts, zombies, weight loss, and prosperity that you desire.

2012-12-27 19:00:22 (90 comments, 32 reshares, 121 +1s)

Why My Google Voice # is Public
If you go to the "About" section on my Google+ profile, you'll find my Google Voice phone number.  I put it there over a year ago as an experiment (you can read that story here: http://bit.ly/RkhXqK).  Several folks have asked me lately how it went.  Well, in a word -- awesome.

Yes, it really forwards to my phone.  Yes, I really use it for just about everything -- it's on my business cards, it's on my Facebook page, it's in my email signature for work and for personal correspondence, and it's the best thing I ever did.

Why?  Here is a short list:

1) Consistency.  I don't ever have to worry about changing carriers, because my Google Voice number always stays the same.
2) Opportunity.  Living in public on the Internet means that I want to be open to new opportunities-- by ... more »

2012-12-24 06:03:51 (4 comments, 1 reshares, 22 +1s)

Spotify: Storing Offline Playlists On Your SD Card
I totally just got +Spotify to let me store my offline playlists on my external SD card without rooting my phone or doing anything too fancy!  I'm not sure if this is a common issue, so I figured I'd just offer this up here in case anyone is trying to figure this out before Spotify listens to its users and fixes this issue (fingers crossed, you guys):

Ingredients
- 1 Android device, rooted or unrooted
- 1 microSD card with enough storage to please you
- 1 file explorer for Android

Method
1) Empty your Spotify application data, then uninstall.
2) Use your Android file explorer or a desktop environment to nuke all traces of the application (typically located at Android -> data -> com.spotify.mobile.android.ui).
3) Install an old version of Spotify (here's asaf... more »

2012-12-24 05:47:39 (7 comments, 0 reshares, 11 +1s)

Hi there!

My name is Christina.  I love working with values-led businesses and am excited to see what goes on in this community.

Hope everyone is having safe and merry holidays!

2012-12-23 23:12:24 (27 comments, 0 reshares, 20 +1s)

Today I found out that people actually ask "Kirk or Picard?"

There is a debate.

My mind is blown.

#Trekkies  

2012-12-20 18:12:47 (15 comments, 1 reshares, 27 +1s)

A Humble Suggestion for Community Owners

Consider enacting a policy about sharing links or posts that requires the member to include his or her own comments on the piece being shared.  

Why?

1) Re-shares without the context of someone's opinion can be spammy.
2) Encouraging more content from your members is a great way to build more value into your community.
3) Requiring (or strongly suggesting) context from members on posted links reduces the likelihood that members will re-share content based on headlines alone (AKA, sharing without reading) -- a practice that will rapidly devalue a community.

What kinds of content strategies have you enacted within your communities?  Is it still too early in the game to be thinking about this stuff?  Would love to hear your thoughts!

2012-12-20 17:55:30 (5 comments, 0 reshares, 21 +1s)

Greetings, Community Moderators!

I'm Christina.  I've been involved in some way or another with digital communities for over 10 years.  Facilitating connections and helping people grow their passions and interests is something I hope to do for the rest of my life.

It's a pleasure to "meet" you all -- feel free to say hi or ask questions any time!  I always try to help when I can.  :)

2012-12-20 17:02:43 (3 comments, 0 reshares, 13 +1s)

When you share links without reading them, you could be doing very serious damage.

The article below by +Gini Dietrich is one of the best reminders I've seen in a long time about the importance of not sharing information without having some verification.  

In Gini's example, a young man who was Facebook friends with Ryan Lanza (the brother of Adam Lanza, the gunman responsible for the  #SandyHook  massacre -- Ryan was mistakenly identified by media as the shooter before Adam's identity was confirmed) received multiple death threats while trying to make folks understand that Ryan was not the shooter.  I strongly suggest you read the link below for more details; it is a rather disturbing story.

It does seem that some folks have a tendency to just share whatever headlines look interesting (especially on Twitter, where the retweet button is just aclic... more »

2012-12-17 20:38:18 (21 comments, 15 reshares, 66 +1s)

“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.' To this day, especially in times of 'disaster,' I remember my mother’s words and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers – so many caring people in this world.”

--Mr. Rogers

#LoveForNewtown    

2012-12-17 20:26:15 (3 comments, 1 reshares, 14 +1s)

To Newtown, With Love ❤
Send in your messages of sympathy and love to Newtown, I will personally collect them, print them and place them at the memorial.

Over the last year +Google+ has become my global and virtual hometown, just as real and dear to me as the one where I grew up - Newtown, CT.

Collecting Messages For Newtown
I want pass your love on, to the community here, so: 
❤ Please share this post
❤ Share a note, prayer or photo with the hashtag  #LoveForNewtown     
❤  I will collect them, print them out, tag them with the country or city you're from and post them on a big display board. I will personally drive it to the memorial in town tomorrow, with this little teddy bear I made, so that Newtown knows you are with them.

Thank you dearly, Daria   #Newtown   #SandyHook  

2012-12-10 20:25:56 (12 comments, 1 reshares, 12 +1s)

Customer Service & Social

How do you think social media will impact consumers' ideas about "the customer is always right?"  Do you think having a louder voice and a public platform will make customers become more aware of what they should expect from companies?  I ask because I think it's our behavior that will drive brands to participate in customer care more often if they feel there is an ROI to it.

Looking forward to your thoughts!

2012-12-07 20:18:55 (2 comments, 1 reshares, 15 +1s)

It would be neat if we could show which communities we're members of on our About Me pages.  Bonus points if we can select per group, a la LinkedIn.

#SendFeedback  

2012-12-07 20:02:43 (9 comments, 2 reshares, 14 +1s)

If you add me on  #LinkedIn  just to pitch me, I'll probably block you.

#etiquette  

2012-12-07 19:45:35 (3 comments, 0 reshares, 10 +1s)

I was just thinking, "I hope I find a #Trekkies  Community soon."

Thanks, you guys.

Engage!

2012-12-07 19:44:22 (16 comments, 3 reshares, 21 +1s)

Communities activity shows up on Twitter, in newsletters.

I know how to create new Google+ Communities; I'm just not sure I know how to stop. I'm a huge fan of the new Communities feature. 

I'm also a big fan of posting first on Google+, then automating the re-posting onto other media, including both Twitter and via email newsletter. I've chronicled my technique for doing this here:

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9227098/Elgan_How_I_publish_from_Google_

Google+ Community activity doesn't show up on my stream. However, those posts do show up both on my Twitter feed, and in my auto-generated newsletter. Links bring people back to the post in the Community. 

How cool is that? 

https://twitter.com/MikeElgan

2012-12-07 16:09:55 (10 comments, 3 reshares, 6 +1s)

Great Books

First up, in my opinion: #PublicParts  by +Jeff Jarvis.  (You can find it here on Amazon: http://amzn.to/VP947s)

What books do you recommend for people trying to learn more about social media as a cultural game-changer?

2012-12-07 16:03:18 (11 comments, 0 reshares, 9 +1s)

Welcome!

I truly believe that social media has the power to change us in a lot of extremely positive ways.  While this is a public group, I've invited several folks from my Circles who I believe are sincerely interested in approaching the discussion of social media in a very different way: this isn't a group for tips and tricks or for marketers.  Instead, it is a place where consumers can come together and work through new ways to leverage the power of their own networks.  And anyone interested in that pursuit is more than welcome!

2012-12-06 23:05:20 (8 comments, 0 reshares, 7 +1s)

Can I join this community and join one for #Trekkies ?

Serious question.

>.>

2012-12-06 22:50:44 (25 comments, 6 reshares, 31 +1s)

Have #Communities  rolled out for you, yet?  If so, join this one to keep up to speed on all things Google+ related.  

Lots of awesome people are in there already, like +Trey Ratcliff, +Natalie Villalobos, and +pio dal cin!  Join us (as soon as you can -- keep F5 alive today).

2012-12-06 22:43:44 (7 comments, 4 reshares, 15 +1s)

Hello, everyone!

I'm so excited to join y'all in the Google+ Discuss community.  I can't wait to see what awesome stuff happens around here!

2012-12-06 17:32:59 (42 comments, 8 reshares, 92 +1s)

New MySpace can wait -- Google+ Communities are coming!
I am so excited, I can hardly stand it.  Google+ is finally rolling out what looks to be a true community-driven product -- check out the blog post at the link below.  My favorite part is probably when +Vic Gundotra says, "let’s be excellent to each other."

What kind of Google+ #Communities  will you join?

2012-12-03 20:56:53 (13 comments, 0 reshares, 17 +1s)

Apparently North Korea has found a unicorn lair.

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/50058129/ns/today-today_news/

Props to +Johnny Roquemore for posting the story on FB and +Christina Trapolino for urging me to make this North Korea Unicorn propaganda poster.

UNICORNS FOR GLORIOUS CONQUEST! :D

2012-11-30 07:36:30 (45 comments, 21 reshares, 59 +1s)

Sometimes, when you're on the Internet, you stumble upon a video that blows your mind in a way that defies your ability to use language.

This is one of those videos.

You're welcome, Google+.

2012-11-21 16:51:35 (11 comments, 2 reshares, 34 +1s)

Surprise someone by thanking her/him for being part of your life today.
Why?  Because it won't be such a surprise to do it tomorrow!  Happy Thanksgiving, y'all.

2012-11-19 04:07:58 (76 comments, 62 reshares, 223 +1s)

Brace yourselves.

2012-11-19 03:11:22 (14 comments, 2 reshares, 27 +1s)

#CircleSunday  
November 18, 2012

It's been several months since I last shared this Circle with you guys, but I'm really glad to be starting it up again.  I have been taking your suggestions into consideration, but this week I'm sharing three people with you who have been on my radar for some time:

---

+Isabelle Fortin is someone I found through a neat hashtag event called #MovieMashupTuesday .  The idea...well, you can find it by clicking on the hashtag.  Some of the images they come up with make me laugh out loud... IRL.  ;)  Isabelle's stream is also just plain interesting -- she is a self-confessed foodie (and so am I), and one of the few people whose Instagram posts don't annoy me.  I'm certain she'll add some quirky fun to your streams.

I've been following +Ralph Roberts for quite some time -- he worked withNASA on ... more »

2012-11-17 23:59:18 (22 comments, 0 reshares, 40 +1s)

I'm going to start doing #CircleSunday  again tomorrow.

It's been a few months since I did this, so for those who don't know, Circle Sunday consists of me recommending three new people per week for you to add to your Streams.  The purpose is to expose more people to folks on Google+ who have small audiences but consistently post excellent content.  There are no restrictions on what kind of content they post -- photographers, artists, musicians, writers, or just hilarious people who are active and could use a boost.

If you ever wish to recommend yourself or someone else for a #CircleSunday  feature, please send me a message via my profile.

Have a fabulous Saturday, Google+!

2012-11-17 23:25:21 (98 comments, 28 reshares, 185 +1s)

Dear America,

Please push pause on the #Hostess  stream. Google the Middle East. 

I know, I know. It hurts to think with all that high fructose corn syrup in your brains. Do it anyway.

Love,
Christina

2012-11-14 23:33:32 (39 comments, 16 reshares, 85 +1s)

I Still Think Google+ Can Change The World

If you haven't yet, you should really pick up a copy of #PublicParts  by +Jeff Jarvis.  According to Jarvis, when books were invented, "it scared people to death."  People were frightened of what they didn't understand.  Further, "people didn’t create new books until 50 years [later]. It didn’t affect society for 100 years, clearly."  Seriously, 100 years.

We don't know what we don't know.
Social media is hardly a blip on the timeline so far. We're still talking about things that happened in 2007 as if they are old hat.  We're still mass producing mistakes along with all the good stuff.  We're still learning how much leverage we have as consumers when we really develop our networks. 

Doesn't it just make your skin tingle to think about all thatwe'll d... more »

2012-11-12 00:19:46 (60 comments, 1 reshares, 18 +1s)

Would you rather be known for your personality or your ideas?

2012-11-11 02:52:34 (11 comments, 5 reshares, 39 +1s)

Food for thought this #Caturday  - the Internet was always going to be full of cats.

Enjoy your weekend, everyone!

2012-11-10 00:49:20 (11 comments, 15 reshares, 89 +1s)

Rest in Space, Carl
I think Carl would have liked Google+.  Human curiosity, the need for discovery, and an insatiable thirst for exploration is what binds us all together.

Happy birthday to a beautiful mind.

#CarlSagan  

2012-11-07 04:54:37 (91 comments, 1 reshares, 80 +1s)

You're welcome, America.

#IVoted

2012-10-19 00:21:22 (25 comments, 9 reshares, 64 +1s)

Dear social media professionals,
Stop calling yourselves social media ninjas.

It does not mean what you think it means.

#ResumeFacepalm  

2012-10-17 17:33:55 (27 comments, 5 reshares, 24 +1s)

I will donate $1,000 to anyone who can legitimately make talking about campaign finance reform as sexy as memes like  #BindersOfWomen .

Hypocrisy is easy to see on both sides of the aisle.  But every "issue" we think matters the most is irrelevant until politicians are accountable to voters instead of corporations.

Think the problem's been going on too long?  Think we can't solve this within our lifetimes?  To you, I say that +Jeff Jarvis'  #PublicParts  is worth a read.  When the masses are converted by connectivity into an informed public, previously unsolvable problems can become surmountable.  Social media excites me because of our opportunity to start conversations that matter (sorry, Instagram breakfast shots don't really count).  So let's start one about #BoxesOfCash .

2012-10-12 17:30:57 (7 comments, 3 reshares, 60 +1s)

You don't need to be right to be nice.
Yesterday, #NationalComingOutDay  was trending for hours.  For those of us who wanted to celebrate tolerance and acceptance, that was a beautiful thing to see.  Unfortunately, some of the posts in that Stream were hateful.  To anyone still arguing and debating on the finer points of ethics (as I know some of you are), I say shaddup and hug somebody.

#NoOneLikesABully  

2012-10-11 17:52:49 (24 comments, 47 reshares, 163 +1s)

Happy #ComingOutDay  to everyone who celebrates!  And to those who are still hesitating, I hope you'll celebrate with us soon.  After all...closets are for clothes. :)

#ImAnAlly   #NationalComingOutDay  

2012-10-11 15:32:26 (76 comments, 1 reshares, 25 +1s)

To notify or not to notify?
that is a question

I've never been big on notifying people of my posts, but I don't post updates every day like some folks do on Google+ and I know the Streams can be very noisy.  So I'm going to do a quick poll - if you would like to be notified when I make a post, +1 the comment that's most appropriate for you!

2012-10-10 19:29:49 (27 comments, 1 reshares, 25 +1s)

Sending someone invites on LI with your current position set to "Self employeed at Social Media" and in the request, you ask me to "teach you how to use Social Media as a profession" is essentially the equivalent of me walking in to a Dennys sober.

It just doesn't make sense.

You are using Social Media incorrectly to ask about how to make money working in Social Media while simultaneously using Social Media to tell your "audience" that you work in Social Media. 

2012-10-09 22:19:25 (20 comments, 3 reshares, 30 +1s)

Who are the best people and Pages to follow for startup stuff?
confession: I am a startup junkie

I work on the side for a really cool organization called +House of Genius. (You can learn more about it here: http://bit.ly/R5bvzs.)  We're constantly hearing from folks who are curious about Google+ and I would love to find great resources to share with them.  +Robert Scoble is who I usually say to follow, but who else makes the list?  Any good Hangout groups you guys know of?

2012-10-05 18:51:29 (26 comments, 9 reshares, 46 +1s)

Finally, Fast Company does a positive Google+ piece!

+Andy Meek penned this excellent article that gets us back to the roots of what we love about Google+.  It's such a relief to see that not all media folks are obsessing about growth, metrics, and prediction games (or, heaven forbid, the dreaded Facebook comparison).

Thanks, Andy!  And thanks, +Vic Gundotra, for taking the time to interview for this piece.  It's a good day for social networking philosophy.

That's a plus.

2012-10-01 02:36:52 (51 comments, 1 reshares, 50 +1s)

If you or a loved one may be having a heart attack, you can go to the Fire Department to save valuable time.

If the hospital is too far away and you need help immediately, you should always call 911.  But if you're not at home or you can't wait for an ambulance and a fire station is near by, have someone take you there.  They have oxygen (which is needed to keep the heart from working as hard), and typically an ambulance ready to go.

Sadly, this weekend I lost my stepfather to a very serious heart attack.  My mother took him to the Fire Department and while he did not ultimately survive, the oxygen and care he received there was critical and gave him his best chance.

Have a safe week, everyone.  And say "I love you" more -- you never know when it's the last time.

2012-09-25 05:08:38 (17 comments, 5 reshares, 56 +1s)

You know, the thing I loved most about #LinkedIn  was that it wasn't sexy.  It was for boring professionals, then for savvy b2b marketers and entrepreneurs who learned to forgo the hard sell and build relationships, and I was into that.  But endorsements for skills seems like a step backwards.

This is the problem: LinkedIn is selling us on the idea that it takes just one click to endorse (source: http://bit.ly/TtjigP).  It takes nothing to click on a sexy button.  So where's the value?  

LinkedIn, are you making a Klout play?  If yes, for the love of god, do not allow people to trade +K (or +LI or whatever it is going to be called).  Please.

2012-09-14 22:02:25 (280 comments, 1064 reshares, 1819 +1s)

If anything should ever get a spot on What's Hot, it's this video.  
It made me laugh and cry at the same time.  It made me think of the teachers I know who have to pay $45 per year to use the microwave and another $45 to use the fridge.  It made me think of my past teachers and the way they shaped my values, my work ethic, my passions, and my sense of empathy.  It made me think, too, that this is an election year and it was my teachers who made me understand why voting is more than a privilege, it is a responsibility.

Say thank you to a teacher today.  Share this video with 'em, too.

(Thank you to +Meilani MacDonald, who posted this in my Stream today.)

2012-09-12 04:26:31 (43 comments, 6 reshares, 45 +1s)

Hi All

Just a tip regarding sharing on G+: 

Its vital that when sharing, you share to "public". If you share to just "your circles" or "extended circles" there are two major negatives.

1. Only people you have added to circles see this and not the G+ users who have added you to circles. Unless you add everyone who has added you, you are limiting the engagement your posts can receive.

2. If you only share to your circles then re-shares cant be to public. This also limits the impact of what you are sharing as the rules in point 1 apply.

Its a simple one but I tend to see more posts shared to a limited audience than to Public and it limits the impact of your G+ experience.