Google+ Will Survive if They Listen

I am not going to be harsh on Google for what they are doing with Google+, nor will I be blasting them for what they are not doing for Google+.  What I want to attempt to do is outline a couple of things Google needs to do to help Google+..and it’s users…get more out of Google+.

Get More Involved Locally

Yes, there are many, many Google employees on Google+ and they are all doing great jobs.  But, what they are not doing is asking people like me..and probably you..out for a cup of coffee to get my views on what Google+ could do better.  That is what I do with my clients every 60 days or so, why can’t Google?

Google use to do this right after they launched Google+.   Now it seems, from what I can tell, they found mingling with small business executives too risky or saw that allocating those frontline forces to shoring up accounts at the National level was more important.

Sure, it takes a certain kind of person to deal with people and that could be what Google lacks.  Google is somewhat a tech company and the core of that industry has nothing to do with human relations.  However, now that Google has stepped into the online social networking arena they need to gear up to deal with people offline.

Reach Out to the Business Community

The same goes for Google needing to reach out to local small business executives to show them how Google+ would benefit their marketing.  From my personal experience gained from my training people how to use Google+, the feedback I frequently receive comes in the form of rhetorical questions like… Why isn’t Google out training us how to use their platform?  (a few have asked why Google is not paying me to show them how to use Google+.)

That’s a good question that I have attempted to ask anyone I can find who works for Google.  I also add to the list of question I frequently receive, …why is Google allowing people who have no idea how the Google+ platform works to train others on their view of how Google+ should be used?

Both of these questions not being answered by Google leads people to concur in the critics view that Google really does not care about Google+ or it’s dedicated users.

Be More Visible in Broadcast Media

One of the hundreds of questions I get asked..and asked frequently..is,  Why do we not see TV and Radio commercials saying something like.. “Stop by and visit with us on Google+!” or “make sure to Circle us On Google+”???

One of the biggest weaknesses Google has right now is lack of media visibility.    The Google executives can side step, duck-n-bob and dodge this issue all they want.  They cannot convenience anyone they are promoting Google+ on Radio or TV with the very few commercials they have on Google.  Whoever is doing their marketing campaign on Google+ is doing a very poor job.

There is no way to get around the fact that the majority of people on earth still view TV and Radio as their first source for gathering information.  They will go to the Google search engine to validate something they heard on TV, or heard  on Radio.

However, until the average TV viewer or Radio listener hears the local TV news anchor or their favorite radio personality say…“make sure to check out out Business Page on Google+”…most of people are not even going know Google+ is something they should be using.

Solutions

Google is taking a beating on the internet by the growing number of skeptics who feel Google is not taking Google+ serious.  I can see why they think that.  What would cure these negative perspective would involve Google assigning their more outgoing employees..better yet, managers…to meet with their more valued Google+ users.  Hangouts with us would be OK…inviting us to their office would be better..sponsoring local social gatherings would also work.

This does not mean Google should sort their database by how many people are Circling someone, or how many views a person is getting and take from that list what they see as their Top users to go talk to.   What they will find in that list is most of those people have alternative motives for being on Google+ that really are not benefiting Google.

Google knows who the people are who are out on Google+ daily and provide a variety of content on a number of relevant issues their customers search on Google Search.  People like ..yes..me.  There are thousands of us on Google+ who give a flip and see what G+ can do.

So, the solutions I have previously offered the few Google managers I have found on G+…and now have learned they are no longer working for Google…was for Google to offer a certification program for people who are interested in spreading the Google gospel.  Google certifies people to agent Google Adwords, wouldn’t it be a simple add-on to also be able to instruct people and businesses how to properly use Google+?

The Reason Why I Care

Why would I be training people on how to use Google+ if I did not see personally..and professionally..the advantage Google+ has over the other social spaces?  I could have easily trained on Facebook, Twitter and the other less productive social spaces.

Why would I risk my image as a professional operations manager if I did not honestly see how Google+ can help a business?  My answer to this questions is based on me not just liking the platform but from me spending almost three years studying what G+ content produces…where it goes…and how it is being used.

Simply put, Google+ has more to offer it’s users.  and what Google will walk away with from visiting with me..and others like me… is valuable information on what it will take to put G+ in the center of the online social universe.

Consumers are very, very, very smart.  They have evolved to be this way out of fear of being scammed..again.  They check out everything to see what others are saying or to gather data on something so they can make their own decision.  Google sits in the ‘catbird seat’ with Google+ which makes it very hard to imagine why Google is not taking a stronger position on promoting the virtues of Google+.

There are many other solutions that can be offered Google on how to improve Google+ and I would enjoy passing them on to Google if they are interested…which I feel they are.  Since Google has reached out to me before, I hope they will reach out again.

Let me know how I can help.