Google Buzz: Are You Buzzing?
Unless you’ve been hiding underneath a rock for the past week, no doubt you’ve heard about Google’s new tool called “Buzz”. Some say it’s a Twitter and FaceBook killer, while others say it’s a privacy nightmare. Either way it’s here to stay and it definitely be a social media game changer. But I also have my own thoughts on the matter. Which I think you’ll find interesting.
Here’s The Official Video:
Google Buzz Privacy Issues
You’ve probably heard more about naysayers crying my privacy has been invaded, right? Well, it’s true yes and no. I don’t believe Google thought it through enough before launching, which I find quite strange for such a large company. It looked rushed in my opinion. Michel Fortin stated that it was because of WAVE not doing as well as they had hoped.
There are several places where you can read what problems they had:
TechCrunch:
http://techcrunch.com/2010/02/11/reply-google-buzz-exposing-email/
http://techcrunch.com/2010/02/12/google-buzz-privacy/
Cnet:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-31322_3-10451428-256.html
Personally, I believe it’s fault is two fold. One the end user has to take some responsibility and actually read the directions and instructions prior to using and new service. But also, the company, Google, must take responsibility and realize many people will not do this. So they must save their own users from themselves or suffer the consequences via bad press and downright outrage by their hopeful users of the system. Once you make people mad, they won’t come back and worse yet, they’ll tell everyone and most people they tell won’t get the full story. They’ll only hear “Google Buzz is Bad!”.
I’m a Google Buzz Fan
First off, I’m not the most social person. Meaning, I don’t really Twitter and I am rarely on Facebook. BUT, with that being said, I said in a Buzz yesterday, I used Google Buzz more in one day, that I used Twitter all of last year. Why? Because that’s where I am. I’m in my Gmail account multiple times throughout the day.
- I don’t have to buy new software
- Download new software
- I don’t have to find people, Google already listed all my friends for me
- I don’t have to create a new habit
I’m already using Gmail. I see a new Buzz come in, I have a choice, ignore it or read it. If I read it, I have a choice to respond or not. Do I have people who I don’t know following me? Yeah so what. I have almost 5000 people following me on Facebook, so what’s the difference.
With my new found love of Google Buzz, it still needs a lot of work.
If Owned Google Buzz… Here’s What I Would Do
- Allow People to Buzz From Their Profile Page. Right now you can only comment.
- Create a “Follow My Buzz” Button to people can add it to their websites
- Outbound communication with Twitter and Facebook at a minimum.
- Allow Custom Profile Pages
- Make a “Followers” image list. Like Twitter has on right hand side.
- Allow you to make your whole Buzz Account PRIVATE. Twitter does this and so does even MySpace.
- Create separate buzz page for users as well. This will make it easier to use even if you are NOT in Gmail.
- Not force you to see all Buzz comments or be notified of Buzz Comments. I subscribed to Mashable’s Buzz feed and it sucked. I like Mashable it’s just they have a huge amount of comments so it wasn’t a good experience for me, not their fault Google’s fault.
Yes, there’s a lot more I would change but this is just for starters.
Here’s what I’m most surprised about. With all the resources and talent that Google has, I’m surprised that they launched this product as a competitor. Here’s what I mean. Google could have done the things I mentioned above and few others and came out the gate, made everyone happy and made Twitter and Facebook crap their pants. It would have been game over. It seems now they are playing catch-up than being from a dominating position.
With a few subtle changes, last week would have been different. Sure it’s still going to be dominating force in social media, it’s just going to take longer. It could have been overnight.
What do you think of Google Buzz?
Leave a comment below to let me know your thoughts.
P.S. Click Here To Follow Me On Google Buzz!
To be honest… I find it a bit confusing. Maybe once I’ve used it for awhile I’ll get the hang of it.
Armand you made some valid points but I have to correct few. I know you are in Australia too so who knows what version of Buzz you are getting out of Google data centers down under. So, Armand, you said:
*** Allow People to Buzz From Their Profile Page. Right now you can only comment.
You have a “What are you doing” type box right at the top of Buzz. You can post links, pictures and text AND you can post them as public or private. And you can Buzz directly from you Google profile.
Google is changing Buzz every day, features come and go, just stay with it, it will settle down.
*** Create a “Follow My Buzz” Button so people can add it to their websites.
The button is on your Google profile. You may have missed this because you have be to logged into a Google account that is not yours to see it.
A follow on Buzz button in that case can be a link to the profile of your choice.
*** Outbound communication with Twitter and Facebook at a minimum.
I believe comments only go back to a Twitter profile if you respond with the @ sign but I have not tested this yet.
There is no communication with Facebook. The only Facebook aggregation you get is from FriendFeed.
Facebook decided on this policy, not Google. Facebook decided to go it alone with Microsoft’s support when they took Microsoft’s $240 million investment in 2008 and decided to bar Google Friend Connect from Facebook.
*** Allow Custom Profile Pages
http://www.google.com/profiles/chrislang
That is about as custom as you get. Or maybe I misunderstood what you are calling a profile page.
If you want to find your Google profile page the link is http://www.google.com/profiles/me and if you have not created one Google will ask you to do so.
*** Make a “Followers” image list. Like Twitter has on right hand side.
Right there in Buzz, just look for the link “Followers” at the top of Buzz. It will open an overlay with your Followers and you can follow in return from the as well. Or remove pesky unwanted followers too.
*** Allow you to make your whole Buzz Account PRIVATE. Twitter does this and so does even MySpace.
Good point. Bet they are working on that now. Google has been very receptive to suggestions so far. There should be a better setting page for Buzz.
*** Create separate buzz page for users as well. This will make it easier to use even if you are NOT in Gmail.
No, Gmail is the key to this thing. That is one reason Google Wave is not used as highly as I predicted, no Gmail integration.
The idea is that Gmail is your communications platform. With Gchat, Gmail and now a social dashboard. That is why it is in Gmail.
*** Not force you to see all Buzz comments or be notified of Buzz Comments. I subscribed to Mashable’s Buzz feed and it sucked. I like Mashable it’s just they have a huge amount of comments so it wasn’t a good experience for me, not their fault Google’s fault.
Jack Humphrey and I both agreed, it is a bad idea to follow people like Pete Cashmore (Mashable) in Google Buzz, we both added and removed his profile.
*** Michel Fortin stated that it [Buzz] was because of WAVE not doing as well as they had hoped.
Buzz has nothing to do with Google Wave. Wave is for private or public discussion, collaboration and rich social applications.
Buzz is simply the next step in Google Social Search. In fact I see it as Social Search without searching.
Buzz is to keep up with your REAL friends activity on YouTube, Twitter and FriendFeed. Two very different things.
Why do I say REAL friends? Because Buzz is based on your Google Contacts. If you add me to your Google Contacts and I add you then we will see each other in Buzz.
But like I said, making your Google profile URL public will get you more followers and give you the chance to follow others you may not have discovered yet.
Buzz is not something they made up yesterday, it is part of something much bigger and has been in development for years. They started writing the code for Google Wave in early 2007, over 3 years ago.
Hope this helps you to get started with Google Buzz and start building a following.
See you at the show in LA in March! – Chris Lang
Chris,
You bring up some great points. BUT… Let me correct you… LOL
You siad.. “You have a “What are you doing” type box right at the top of Buzz. You can post links, pictures and text AND you can post them as public or private. And you can Buzz directly from you Google profile.”
Answer: NOPE… not the version that I’m seeing and using right now. Possibly because I am in Australia at the moment. But you CAN’T do that from here on you Profile page.
You said… “Google is changing Buzz every day, features come and go, just stay with it, it will settle down.”
Answer: Certainly. I realize this, but they could have come out as powerful game changer rather than many of the problems we’ve seen.
“The button is on your Google profile. You may have missed this because you have be to logged into a Google account that is not yours to see it.”
Answer: That’s my point. So as on this blog, I had to put a link directly to my Google profile. It would have been easier for my to post a “Follow Me” button here without users having to go to my profile page.
Why make it a 2 step process when it can be only one?
You said… “I believe comments only go back to a Twitter profile if you respond with the @ sign but I have not tested this yet.”
Answer: Nope… Google states it will RECEIVE from Twitter at the moment. It doesn’t matter what you do with the @ sign.
You said… “There is no communication with Facebook. The only Facebook aggregation you get is from FriendFeed.”
Answer: I don’t want to use Friend feed. Nor any other service to connect or post to Facebook.
You said… “Facebook decided on this policy, not Google. Facebook decided to go it alone with Microsoft’s support when they took Microsoft’s $240 million investment in 2008 and decided to bar Google Friend Connect from Facebook.”
Answer: That’s Friend Connect, I will bet Google integrates posting to Facebook. I don’t believe that will have any bearing on Buzz connecting to the FaceBook API.
You said… “That is about as custom as you get. Or maybe I misunderstood what you are calling a profile page.
If you want to find your Google profile page the link is … and if you have not created one Google will ask you to do so.”
Answer: Yes I believe you misunderstood me. I can’t change colors or BRAND my profile page with a background image. I have to keep with the ugly look they gave me.
You said… “Right there in Buzz, just look for the link “Followers” at the top of Buzz. It will open an overlay with your Followers and you can follow in return from the as well. Or remove pesky unwanted followers too.”
Answer: That’s my point. It’s HIDDEN. People want social proof. They want to see who is following you if you want to let them. It’s not for me its for people to see a sample of who should follow.
You should be able to put the bank of images on a blog, like Friend Connect or like FaceBook’s Fan Page block you can put on your blog.
You said… “Good point. Bet they are working on that now. Google has been very receptive to suggestions so far. There should be a better setting page for Buzz.”
Answer: Yes, they’ve been receptive and I am totally loving it. But if they want the most number of people to use it, then they need this.
You said… “No, Gmail is the key to this thing. That is one reason Google Wave is not used as highly as I predicted, no Gmail integration.”
Answer: I agree, I see the integration as being great. I love it, but… OTHER people want a separate page. Look at posts on TechCrunch and Mashable the truly early adopters want this. This is your market when you launch a techy product like this.
My point is NOT to argue with you, LOL, but to show that Google could have thought this out better for more user integration.
See you in LA.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35409762/ns/technology_and_science-tech_and_gadgets/?gt1=43001
hope this helps….
Hey Armand, glad you added the Buzz button, just added the how to do that article on my blog today. Cheers to John Chow!
Glad to see you comment back directly Armand. I was impressed BTW when your support got back to me so fast and enabled the comments. Less than a day.
And no I don’t take anything you said as arguing or negative and mine is meant in the same way :] Discussion is king! We are both very opinionated professionals.
As I figured it is your Australian Google Data center that is leaving you with out a “What are you doing type box”, glad we cleared that up.
Now as far as not being able to post from your profile, well they are half way there.
Once you have posted a Buzz, it is right on your profile. Take a look, you can add to my Buzz items right from my profile.
http://www.google.com/profiles/chrislang
** Not communicate with Twitter…
Now I understand that as well. My Tweets are always centered around what my FOLLOWERS (I believe) are interested in.
But now I get you, yeah, I like you Armand, but I don’t give a dang what kind of cookies you are making or what kind of underwear you just bought you kids at Kmart.
And I don’t want to read your Tweets about it either. I am down with that!
If anyone reading this chats all day long on Twitter then go to Buzz and remove your Twitter stream from Buzz, or we are all going to unfrined you, been allot on that all over the web.
** Facebook
Right now Facebook is being sued big time over their privacy policy because they have CHANGED it.
I do not see Google giving any thing back to Facebook after the GFC thing. That made GFC and FBC much less than either could have been.
Not to mention Facebook is infected with another virus spewing out spam on infected profiles. Topless fake pictures of Britney Spears were everywhere on Saturday. This is Facebook’s fault, not the poor users.
Facebook is going the way of MySpace and turning into a sewer, bad for everyone.
*** The truly early adopters want this [Buzz as a separate page]
It’s coming, just can’t give you the details yet.
*** Lastly you want to customize your Google profile.
Google has from the beginning been about plain, simple interfaces. They will be for a long time to come. Google sees their web pages as software interfaces.
But if you take a look at a Google profile when you start it is a blank slate.
In fact I see my Google profile as my Google business card. It is all about me, my sites, my social profiles, and my bio.
Now I can see branding YouTube channels and especially Twitter because your Twitter wall immediately takes any visitor to your profile away from it.
But look at any Google profile if you do not have one fellow readers, the only thing on your Google profile is about you and your sites.
Why would Google ruin this Business card type interface with a background?
Really looking forward to LA, I miss being on the road :]
One last thought, if Google Buzz was rushed, it was to roll it out in time for the Olympics. Or so we believe…
G’day guys,
I’m reading your comments with interest since I am a new business owner and believe this type of technology has the ability to send my business into warp speed. Can any of you put me in touch with an internet guru in Melbourne that might be interested in helping me grow my business?
Thanks, Bretto
@Brett Taylor,
The best place to start is Sean Rasmussen in Australia. Just Google him and he will be able to steer you to the resources you need down there. I know Sean and have done business with him.
Since Armand and his team were just down there speaking they may have more recommendations than I do.
Thanks Chris, you’re a gun mate.
I was definitely impressed with the video presentation. At this point for Internet marketers that are not maven’s more tools does not mean better expression. I personally do not have a Gmail account I have a Yahoo e-mail. I use Facebook and YouTube the most of any website.
I see people jumping at different ways of expressing themselves to advertise their business. I still see becoming successful as a journey to where you must provide value to the masses one by one. There is not going to be a website or tool or resource that will complete that journey for you.
Thank you Armin for always over delivering on everything that you do. I am not in a position to buy everything you offer or attend all of your seminars. Just know that right now I am climbing my Mt. Everest and when I can I will buy everything that you have made.
@James Richardson,
A Yahoo address is just fine, nothing wrong with that. I in fact run my personal communications off my main domain.
But I use a Gmail address for my social activity. That way I segregate what is most important, business from social activity.
But I am predicting that Twitter and Facebook will lessen in effectiveness in marketing and Google’s vast and rich social applications will be what we are all using in a few years.
The idea I present is if Google’s new networking features are the new marketing medium as Twitter and Facebook are now, why not get a head start and not be playing catch up in a year from now?
Great info. Thanks Armand 🙂
Armand, I am wondering why you turned off commenting on your Buzz page? I find that really odd.
Hi Armand
Not use Buzz much but after reading your article I’ll give it a try. Some of the other comments are useful as well.
Hi Armand:
THANK YOU FOR MASSIVE VALUE YOU PUT ON YOUR WEBSITE. This is the utmost reason you are are a “guru” and very successful.
“SUCCESS LEAVES CLUES” alright and thank you for leaving “TRACES”…for the world to follow.
Greetings from Manila, Philippines. Originally from here but base in Canada last 24 years. I bought one of your products so far in the past and I know our path will (personally) cross one of these days. Just kept missing you on my mentor’s events like -Mark Victor Hansen, T. Harv Eker’s, Alex Mandossian and more…
What an excellent timing I stumble upon your email and something higher prompted me to navigate your site today.
AM I BUZZING! NO not yet… but this BUZZING entry AWOKE me up and TURNED my light bulb on. The comments are very interactive and informative and even though I don’t quiet understand some of the lingo used it’s enough to trigger my non-techie world. I sure will learn more about it in the days to come. I am also jumping on the band wagon (FINALLY)and opening to learning about Online Marketing (LONG OVERDUE) and how best I can position myself (ABOUT TIME) for the RELAUNCH of the book I have written and relaunch my speaking career as well. Whew I let it out and I will hold myself ACCOUNTABLE for this. Accountability partner anyone? BUZZ ME..
To add that I WAS SO TOUCHED by watching your beautiful Angel Video “MY DAUGHTER’S DANCE CLASS. BEST VIDEO I WATCHED that penetrated my soul to take action. That’s how I want to live the next chapter of my life – connect to your AVERY’s and my INNER CHILD AGAIN.
BUZZZZZZZING LIKE A BUMBLE BEE – “According to Physics and Science the aerodynamic of a bumble bee says that the bumble bee CANNOT fly… the bumble bee can fly because it THINKS IT CAN…
BUZZ ME…:)
Jhet aka Juliet van Ruyven
[email protected]
Wow am I really the only reply to this awesome read!?
No, you are not, you are number 19.