I am not sure I could begin to count the times I have heard people tell me… “Why should I use Google+?  It is just another social network for me to keep up with and I don’t have time for that..”.or “Nobody uses Google+ so it is a time bandit for me.”

It is interesting after three years I still hear all these statements and remarks.  There are so many counters I and others could make to support the fact Google+ has taken over online social networking.

Unfortunately. there are still a large number of people who just do not understand that Google has changed social networking, social media and the way consumers user the internet.

Is it a waste of time?..my answer to that is..It probably is if you do not take the time to learn it’s values.

Time Management

I have written before on how important it is to place a value n your time.  Someone Not having time for something as valuable as Google+ generally means they are valuing their time less on less valuable sites.

It is just a fact of life you have to spend the time you have doing the things you need to do in order to have time to do the things you want to do.  In order to accomplish this you Have To Manage Your Time.

I’m not going to pull a Stephen Covey on you and go into the complete physics of time management, but here is one of the trillion quotes Mr Covey made that is relevant to the way people use their time on other online social networks..

“Most of us spend too much time on what is urgent and not enough time on what is important.” 
― Stephen R. Covey

The debate on where a person should spend their time and where their time should be spent is ongoing.   This conversation goes on nearly daily in every business in the world.  Decisions are being made based on the question…”since we only have a fixed amount of time to accomplish our business’ goals in the online social spaces where should we spend that time.”

In the online marketing world most businesses and individuals will default to making those big decisions by using statistics they find reporting where the most people or consumers are located online.

Unfortunately, most of the statistics created for online positioning are unverifiable.  Indications are most of the online marketing studies are produced..or sponsored..by the online social networks who have trillions of dollars of investors money to answer for which translated means Facebook and Twitter would be the place most businesses..and socialites.. will go.

Time Has Changed

Fortunately, time changes everything.  Time has changed the way people use the internet and again, fortunately, the change has been for the better.  Why?  Quick answer: Because people have learned how to use the internet to do what is important.

Before, the internet controlled how people could use it.  Now, people have put their foot down and forced changes to be made to the internet.  The users of the internet have clearly sent their message that they are not interested in being forced to see advertisement or being provided irrelevant information.

Consumers, who also double as socialites, are tired of seeing unvalidated stats mixed in with the thousands of requests to play FarmVille; uncontrollable animation and video looks: and pointless 6 second videos.

So, where is the place people and businesses can go to use their limited time effectively?  Clearly it is Google+.  Not that Google+ is absolutely perfect, but it does have the control people want on what they view on the internet and who they want to socialize with.

Google+ Is Worth the Time

Since Time is important for everyone, Google+ makes sense.  It is controllable..it’s is convertible…it has a broad footprint and it is connected to the most sound product offered on the internet…Google.

So, is Google+ a Time Bandit?

I can only suggest and recommend you take the time needed to learn how Google+ works, what it does and then answer that question.  I did this and my answer is No!

Let me know how I can help.