Google Buzz: Day 50
Awhile back… well actually 49 days ago, I posted my feedback from Google Buzz, including some tips for filtering the Buzz Noise.
Read it here: Google Buzz Feedback – Day One.
Well, I've had more time to play with Google Buzz, and it's grown on me quite a bit for several reasons.
Buzz vs. Twitter
I love Twitter. In fact, I check it nearly every day plus, it's a fabulous source of web traffic. But, those darned 140 characters don't allow you to discuss anything really in depth, which keeps conversations limited.
However, on Buzz, you can discuss in depth. Plus, the thread is nested (much like a forum) so you can see the entire conversation from start to finish rather than trying to piece it together on Twitter by hopping from user to user. (I'll demonstrate below in a video.)
Plus, honestly, Twitter is so noisy for me (as I pretty much autofollow everyone that meets certain non-spammy criteria) that most days it's hard to do much beyond replying to people who have used “@nicoledean” in their tweets. So, I'm not really involved in other people's conversations as much as generating my own (or responding to someone who's replied to me).
I'm managing my Buzz followers differently so it's been a much more intimate experience.
Buzz vs. Facebook
I also love Facebook. In fact, checking Facebook is one of the highlights of my day. It's amazing how the interactions on Facebook differ from Twitter. I can post the exact same thing on both and the discussion is always totally different.
Facebook is a lot of fun, and it doesn't really have many limitations for me. But, it also doesn't seem to attract in depth discussion either. It is light-hearted and fun, though.
Buzz on the other hand, is almost as Liz Tomey described a “mastermind for marketers”.
I'd like to agree with her (and I do) – but you'll see a warning in a bit, because some (if not most) marketers are ticking people off on Buzz – and they don't even realize it.
The Tour
Here's a quick video tour of my Buzz account, including a demonstration of how I manage Buzz to make sure that I respond to as many people as I can who chat with me. (For details on how I set up my filter in gmail, check out that first blog post: Google Buzz Day One: Getting Started & Filtering the Noise)
Warning
As I mentioned in the video, there are marketers who are losing followers and credibility for using Google Buzz as nothing more than a Twitter and blog broadcast. If you're doing that, I suggest you take a look at the following Buzz-worthy discussion to see how you might be losing followers and reputation at the same time:
Auto-Tweet on Buzz and Run? Adios. You've been Unfollowed.
I was going to link to some more discussions on Buzz about this topic, but they got a little intense, so you can go find them on your own if you dare. lol!
I hope this blog post helps you to dive into Google Buzz and benefit.
Thanks for reading!
Nicole
Please follow me: Nicole Dean on Google Buzz | Twitter | Facebook
Brian Lyssy
April 7, 2010 at 10:00 amGreat vid Nicole. I think it is awesome how you show people they can manage their email’s using labels in gmail.
Chris Lang
April 8, 2010 at 11:10 amGlad to see you get it Nicole. Buzz can definitely be used as more of a forum for discussion. In fact I have been using it just for that purpose since day one.
I am actually finding people are more apt to respond with very valuable insight in Google Buzz than in comments on my own blogs.
Because they want to get more Buzz followers themselves. So they will create content for you and interesting worthwhile stuff too, like web 2.0 always promised.
Also glad to see you provide links to follow you on Buzz (just followed you). My link above is my Google profile. You would not believe how many have published on Buzz but not bothered to link to their Google profile.
I also just got done pitching the Google Buzz team to integrate Buzz following options into Google Friend Connect.
Looking forward to more on your views on Google Buzz… – Cheers!
Chris Lang
April 8, 2010 at 11:11 amAlso I can’t see your video since I hate and will not use QuickTime. You should really consider YouTube for your public videos.