| Title | : | What the Plus! Google+ for the Rest of Us |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 156 |
| Publication | : | First published March 1, 2012 |
"We didn't expect over 100,000,000 people to join Google+ so quickly. If we had, we might have written a tutorial like this one. Lucky for us, Guy has written this wonderful introduction to Google+. Highly recommended!" Vic Gundotra, Senior Vice-President, Social, Google
"What The Plus is the G+ motherlode! Guy's book will make you fall madly in love with Google+ and never look back!" Mari Smith, author The New Relationship Marketing and coauthor Facebook Marketing: An Hour A Day
"People ask me why I like Google+ better. I struggle to find the words, but Guy Kawasaki not only figured it out but shows you how to get the most out of this new social network." Robert Scoble, Rackspace videoblogger
What the Plus! Google+ for the Rest of Us Reviews
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If you can't figure out from my sidebar, I'm a huge huge fan of Google+. I don't actually have a facebook page for this blog, but I do have a Google+ page. So when I saw this free ebook from Guy Kawasaki, I jumped on it.
What The Plus is a simple introduction to Google+. It's aimed at the completely uninitiated, although I did pick up some things I didn't know, and learnt a few tips. That said, it is aimed at turning someone into a power user. Personally, I'm fine with how I am now, and I don't need to get a huge increase in followers.
Plus, I wholeheartedly agree with the premise of the book - that Google+ is for passions. My Google+ actually only became really active (and a lot of fun), in December, when I met the NaNoWriMo community (HI EVERYONE! ~Waves~). I was one of the few people I knew doing this, so the community there was a huge help. Just reading their posts reminded me that I'm not alone, and that other people are struggling with me!
Of course, the hangouts were awesome (even though I only participated in one). I actually would like to participate in more hangouts, but there's a huge time difference for the ones I'd like to join.
The book has a lot of things: a chapter for us ladies, a chapter for us photographers (I'm a terrible amateur photographer), etc. It doesn't have one thing though: a chapter on communities. But admittedly, that is a very recent developement on Google+. I'm still feeling my way around, but if anyone has any tips on how to make them more fun, please tell me!
(And of course, if you're in Japan/interested in Japan and love to read, you can always join my community Readers in Japan. It's dual language, and really, all you need is to have bought books in Japan (for two categories), or read a Japanese book (for the rest). I'd really love it if you joined and added your two cents)
If you're new to Google+, or even if you're just curious, you should totally pick up this book. You can find it at this link
First posted at
Inside the mind of a Bibliophile -
First, this book is only available as an e-book, but don't try to read it on a Kindle or small e-reader. It is full of illustrations, screen shots, and tables, most of which are totally unreadable on a Kindle. The author is a Mac fan, so the book was probably designed for the iPad. It works reasonably well on my similar sized Android tablet, but most of the screen shots and tables are still somewhat difficult to read. There may not be anything the author could do about this problem. As a how-to, the book certainly needs the illustrations and screen shots. It may just be a shortcoming of digital publishing, which is still in it's infancy. Maybe it should be read on a full computer.
That being said, the book is well written, well organized, and pretty complete, but short and easy to read. Mr. Kawasaki certainly was able to communicate his enthusiasm for Google+ and inspired me to try several things I haven't tried yet. The book also includes a plethora of links to further information. -
I read this for my marketing work, and I enjoyed it. Kawasaki's conversational style is a pleasure to read. His experience as former Chief Evangelist at Apple and his success building his brand in social media makes his arguments all the more compelling. While I agree with him that G+ is inherently a better designed social media platform than either FB or Twitter, the problem for me has been that there aren't enough people I'm friends with on G+. However, Kawasaki makes a compelling case that G+ offers a place to interact with people who share your passions instead of interacting primarily with people you already know. Twitter, he says, is more of a place for getting real-time perspectives but not a lot of in-depth conversation. I'm giving G+ another try.
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Guy Kawasaki has credibility, so I thought it made sense to read this book. Good overview of the key features of G+ and the ways it surpasses the other soc media sites. Key message for me was that, according to the author, Facebook is for keeping up with friends and family, Twitter is for communicating instant perceptions, but G+ is for pursuing you passions with people you may not even know (yet). He also believes Google has the might to make G+ successful, even though it got a late start. It's hard to know why he wrote this book - an Apple/Mac evangelist becoming a Google enthusiast. He says he really, really likes G+, and wants the rest of the world to appreciate it too. Maybe that's all there is to it - sometimes a cigar is really just a cigar.
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Kawasaki's explanation of how Google+ differs from other social networks was the most powerful part of this book. Of course, that could have been summed up in a blog post, but he wouldn't have profited off the idea. It also had a lot of information about settings, specifically regarding Hangouts, that I had never known before. He also mentioned a lot of his G+ friends as examples in the book— obviously a smart move for his personal brand, but some of his friends really are interesting G+ users.
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Excellent read. I've been using Google+ since it first began and love it as much as I feel Guy Kawasaki does.
If I were to write a Google+ book it would have been in a similar vein and I could only hope it would be half as good as this is.
If you are a novice or an expert at Google+ you will find this book invaluable and a breeze. I read it in under 3 days around work, it was that good. -
In WHAT THE PLUS! Guy Kawasaki explains exactly how Google+ stands out among social media options. According to Guy, Twitter is for perceptions, Facebook is for people, Pinterest is for pictures, and Google+ is for passions.
Google+ is very new, however, and most people are comfortable with Facebook now, and aren't looking for anything more...or better.
Guy writes, "From my perspective, Google+ is to Facebook and Twitter what Macintosh is to Windows: Better, but fewer people use it, and the pundits prophesy that it will fail. As a lover of great products, this rankles my soul." (According to my Kindle, this quote has 21 reader-highlights so far.)
WHAT THE PLUS! makes obvious all the advantages of Google+ over all the other social media options out there. After reading this book, you might very well end up sharing Guy's love for Google+, as I did. Guy has a chapter in the end, "How to Evangelize Google+," on how to convince your friends, family, and others of these advantages, so that they too will share the great experience that is Google+.
The book takes you by the hand from the very beginning, with a chapter on how to get started, including a table that compares Google+ terms with more familiar Facebook and Twitter terminology.
Google+ is constantly changing and constantly improving, so some information in WHAT THE PLUS! may already be obsolete. I think I might have stumbled on something that's already changed since version 2.0 of WHAT THE PLUS! In Chapter 4, "How to Make an Enchanting Profile," under photos, it says that you can create a five-photo template for your cover photo. I don't know if it's my mistake or if Google+ no longer offers that option, but I tried and I tried, and I couldn't get anything other than a landscape cover photo. That's the only thing in the entire book that didn't work for me, however, and I have the feeling Guy plans to come up with periodically updated versions of this book, so I'll be able to continue using WHAT THE PLUS! as a current reference tool.
Chapters of particular interest to me included:
How to Optimize for a Social Search (Guy explains how your Google+ connections can now be integrated in your Google searches.)
How to Share Photos (In the beginning of this chapter, Guy writes, "Every post you make on Google+ should include a photo or a video because you are competing for people's attention in an overloaded world. Great photos evoke emotions, ask the viewer questions, and draw people to read what you've written." So far, 31 readers have highlighted this passage.)
How to Get More Followers
How to Deal with Bozos
How to Master Google+ (I loved the bit on how to conduct a simple poll)
How to Evangelize Google+ (This was a really neat chapter, because I really want to convince people to start making use of Google+, and this chapter gives great advice on how to do exactly that. For instance, telling people about the unique ripples and hangout Google+ features.)
WHAT THE PLUS! is a lot more than just a superb how-to book on Google+. Guy Kawasaki's passion is addictive, and his writing is as inspiring as it is humorous.
I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to know more about the latest and greatest in social media. -
I have a gmail address, which means I have a Google+ account, and while it’s probably the social media account I’ve put least effort in to, I have a decent number of followers (well, decent by my low standards. Others would say my paltry following doesn’t even register, and they’d be right).
Kawasaki begins by defining what he sees as the purpose of the four major social media platforms:
Twitter is for Perceptions
Facebook is for People
Pinterest is for Pictures
Google+ is for Passions
Google+ allows you to connect with people you don’t know who share your passions and interests, because you can see posts (in the same way as you can on Facebook), but you can see all posts, not just the select few Facebook bothers to show you. You can search for topics and Follow people based on the circles they are in.
He gives advice on how authors can promote using Google+ (but emphasises that self-promotion should be no more than 5% of your activity). He also explains how you can form a Google+ hangout (effectively an online meeting), and how you can broadcast and record them. It’s a great idea … now to put it into practice.
To summarise his philosophy, write and share good information, always add pictures, and comment and respond to +mentions (the Google+ equivalent of tagging someone on Facebook or a @mention on Twitter).
The one problem with the book is something only an editor would notice (and even then, probably only a non-US editor, because it would have been Kawasaki’s US editor who introduced the error, despite it being “correct” in terms of US punctuation rules).
Kawasaki gives the example of searching for specific hashtags. To do this in Google+, you search for a phrase like “#bacon” (including the quotation marks). In British English, any following punctuation follows the closing quotation mark, so if the hashtag was at the end of a sentence, the full stop (aka period) would be after the final quotation mark, thus: “@bacon”. But in US English, the final punctuation mark goes inside the quotation marks, like this: “#bacon.” If you searched for this string, including the period, you would be searching for the wrong thing. Thus, proof that British English punctuation makes more sense (at least in this case).
I especially like his parting comment:
A “social-media guru” is an oxymoron. Nobody really knows how to use social media yet—it’s just that some people try to charge for advice and some don’t.
Kawasaki might not be a “social-media guru”, but he’s got a following many people would envy, and seems to have worked out ways of making each of those followers feel engaged. You could pay a lot more for advice from someone with nowhere near the knowledge and experience.
Recommended for anyone who wants to learn to use Google+ better. -
Google+ is still fairly new but Guy Kawasaki predicts that it will exceed Facebook and Twitter in popularity and use! The author states that his goal is to help you derive as much joy and value from Google+ as he does.
Mr. Kawasaki begins the book with an interesting comparison between Twitter, Facebook and Google+. He states that Twitter is best for real-time perspectives. Facebook is for people. It is great for keeping up with people you already know (friends, relatives and colleagues). Google+ is for passions. It enables you to pursue your passions with people you don't know.
Mr. Kawasaki provides a very helpful tutorial on how to get started on Google+. He explains exactly how to set-up your account and find people to include in your circles. The author believes that your Google+ profile is very important and offers an entire chapter on "how to make an enchanting profile". He provides detailed instructions for designing a photo scrapbook for your profile page.
This book provides helpful hints for leaving comments, responding to comments and sharing posts. There is a chapter on how to "hang out" using the feature that allows you to conduct a live video conference with up to ten people. Hangouts can reach more people if you "broadcast and record" them. This enables people to watch and listen to hangouts but not participate.
Peg Fitzpatrick wrote a guest chapter entitled "Fish in a Big Pond." She provides tips for "ordinary" people to use when getting started on Google+. Lynette Young wrote a guest chapter entitled "How to Thrive in the All-Boys' Club". This chapter explains how women on Google+ can survive and thrive.
I purchased this book to help me get started on Google+. I am active on Facebook, Twitter, Linked-In, Pinterest....I just had not taken the time to set up a profile on Google+.
I found this book to be everything I needed to get started on Google+. This book is precise, understandable and complete. I will go back and re-read different portions of this book as I become more familiar with Google+. This is an excellent resource for both beginners and experienced Google+ uses. Highly recommended! -
Guy Kawasaki sure does a good job at explaining the Google plus interface and feature. And that's what it is. A well written manual. Period.
I gave this book one star because it reeks of fanboyism.
At one point, he compares Google Plus lack of popularity, with respect to Facebook and Twitter, to Macintosh niche user base, with respect to Windows. Mac was a revolutionary product. Is Google Plus in the same leagues as Mac? Do you really think so?
People usually don't find their friends and family members on Google Plus. Guy admits it. Then he goes on to explain the reason, "Google+ is a better social network, and many people don’t get it." Do you mean to say Facebook and Twitter users are dense?
At no point he addresses the privacy concern that many people have about Google Plus.
What about Google Wave and Buzz? What if Google decides to shut down plus too? Again, Guy does not touch this issue.
Does having a good manual make Google plus a social network worth moving to? Is Google plus your network? Should you move your online social live, along with your mail, calendar, videos and search history, to Google's server? The manual does not touch these questions even with a yardstick. By the way, did you need a manual to use Facebook or Twitter?
I wouldn't be surprised at all if it is later disclosed that Google payed Guy to do some evangelism for their social website.
If you like reading manuals then go ahead. This book is for you.
If you need to read a manual to use a website. Then this book is for you.
If you don't lie in any of the above two categories, then this book isn't for you. -
I just finished Guy Kawasaki's book,
What the Plus!: Google+ for the Rest of Us*
. I picked up the book because I am interested in
Google+, and I recently got newly excited about using it after watching a
learn.extension.org presentation
Google+ Quickstart with Stephen Judd.
While I downloaded the Kindle version, the paperback version weighs in at 208 pages. In 19 chapters, Kawasaki provides a great primer on Google+. The book is a quick read but provides a wealth of information gleaned from his personal experience. It was fun to read a book written by someone who so thoroughly enjoyed his topic.
Read more -
Update:
Added a star after having dived a bit deeper into G+ as a consequence of reading Guy Kawasaki's book, and seeing that I've picked up more from it than I initially thought.
I picked up What the Plus! on a whim. It came up while browsing Amazon, and I decided to give it a go. Also, I've heard about Guy Kawasaki many times, and figured it was a good opportunity to read one his books. Like many out there, I have a G+ profile, but haven't really gotten into using it.
I give it a3 starrating as it's mostly information that you can find other places, but as for the purpose for the book it's great. I learned a lot, got a few ideas, and I find myself looking forward to get more out of G+
It covers everything from the idea of G+, how you create a profile, how it differs from Twitter and Facebook, some ideas for finding interesting content to share, using the hangout function (video conferencing), dealing with trolls etc, and some thoughts on G+ codes of conduct.
I doubt I would need this book to find out the info Guy provides, but if you want to get a quick view into G+, give it a try. The price tag is acceptable, and Guy's passion for the platform really shines through. I've had positive thoughts on how G+ can go past Twitter and Facebook, and I see that even more now. Combined with Google's search technology it's got great potential. -
Before I read this book, Google+ had me bamboozled. I'd dabbled in its waters, but couldn't understand how to make it work and how to engage with people. Kawasaki's book has those answers.
He covers the following chapters: Why I Love Google+; How to Get Started; How to Master Circles and Streams; How to Make an Enchanting Profile; How to Achieve Trustworthiness; How to Comment; How to Share Posts; How to Optimize for Social Search; How to Share Photos; How to Respond to Comments; How to Hang Out and How to Chat; How to Get More Followers; How to Be a Little Fish in a Big Pond; How to Deal with Bozos; How to Thrive in the All-Boys' Club; How to Avoid Cluelessness; How to Get Google+ Help; How to Master Google+; How to Evangelize Google+. A couple of the chapters are written by guest authors, showing Kawasaki's willingness to show viewpoints different to his own.
It's a basic, easily digestible book, that will have you making waves on Google+ immediately. The only flaw in the book is that it lacks an index, making it less useful as a reference than it could be.
Read this if you're curious about Google+ and want to make use of this latest successful social media platform. -
I read this book as I was doing research for the book I am writing on the topic of book marketing (if you are interested, I am blogging the content for that book here:
www.bookmarketingwithsocialmedia.com).
I have been on Google+ since 2011 but I hadn't really understood Google+...until now. Although I learned a lot from this book, the biggest take-away for me came down to one phrase: "Google+ = Passions." When I thought about that in reference to the comparisons Kawasaki presented (Twitter = Perceptions, Facebook = People and Pinterest = Pictures), it was like a lightbulb went off for me. I thought about what I was passionate about and suddenly I understood how to post on Google+.
If you have any interest in growing your Google+ community for any reason, this book is a must-read. Guy Kawasaki will help you see the benefits of Google+. His passion for it is infectious. And he will walk you through every single thing you need to know about using this social media channel. This book can be read in just a couple of hours, but be prepared to take your time as you read it so you can follow Kawasaki tips as you go. -
I was recommended this e-book by someone in my Twitter Personal Learning Network after I had posted that I wanted to learn more about Google+. I had been thinking of deleting my Facebook account entirely (as it annoys me) but since all my family and friends are on it, it would mean a slow and social death.
So part of my professional development is to learn more about Google+ and already I'm in some 'circles' around learning and development with other people who are leaders in the field. It's made easier connections with them and whatever they post or follow, is who I then follow to keep abreast of changes in my field.
My Google+ account is still in its infancy but I love how it has more functionality than Facebook and you can have 'hangouts' of up to 10 people (or more) so it is like Skype.
This book has SO MUCH information about Google that it's more like a reference guide. Highly recommended! -
Guy does a great job with this combination How To and more importantly Why To use Google Plus effectively, respectfully and enjoyably.
Google Plus is very different from Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest, and Guy shows you how once you understand how to use it you too will find it the best medium for connecting to people that share your passions, and amazing content in those areas.
I'd recommend it to regular people looking to explore their interests, to any kind of content creators, especially in creative fields and organizations small or large looking to establish themselves on social media.
It's a very quick read with lots of examples, screen shots, references for reading more, recommendations for optimizing your experience, and chapters from other non - celebrity Google Plus users who give perspectives for regular new users, and also specifically for women.
Good read and good tool. -
As a casual and somewhat 'neutral' user of Google+ / Facebook / Twitter user, it is interesting to read this book by the Mac evangelist to see what he has to say about Google+.
Most of the material is not new to me, but it is good that his starting point is how to see the various social networks and how to treat them based on your preferences. A social network that suits one person may look like a graveyard to another person.
The main emphasis of the book is how to use Google+ to gain viewers and a reputation. Most of the advice is good and shows that there is a line between using Google+ to promote yourself (which almost never works) to letting your presence on Google+ promote you (which is how it should be).
An interesting book to read, reflect and to learn how to let Google+ make your on-line presence more visible. -
An absolute MUST READ for anyone interested in getting the most out of social media, particularly Google+. Guy's writing is straight to the point, no jargon and his tips are brain-dead simple to follow and sure to help you build a decent following and engaged community on Google+. His writing style is also clear and inviting with some well-placed humor to break the rhythm once in a while. Also a great opportunity to read through a well written "how-to" while simultaneously implementing many of the tips/suggestions. I was pleased to read/learn that I seem to have developed at least a few good habits. Just need to start working on those remaining bad habits of writing and social media etiquette.
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Being a huge Twitter fan, I was reluctant to spend much time on Google+, one thing brought me there and that was Guy Kawasaki's passion for it. In this book, you will learn all the tips and tricks to be a social media whiz in no time from the master of Google+ himself. Interspersed between Guy's practical advice for all social media, not just Google+, are the unknown secrets of Google+ circles, streams, and much more. This is truly a handbook for Google+ but offers much more than a dry list of how to's.
I highly recommend this book for anyone starting out in social media or new to Google+. Or anyone who would like to read an interesting and informative book. And really, how can you beat that price for world-class advice. Seriously. Just read it. -
I read What the Plus after APE by Kawasaki. The book pretty much preaches why Google+ is a better social network for consuming information and interacting with niche communities over Twitter and Facebook. This mostly stems from the fact it is comprised of savvy users. In my opinion as it gains more users, this is likely to change. Twitter was the same sort of thing when it started. It was a decent read, and it is much like Kawasaki's other work. There are a few duplicated sections from What the Plus in APE. I'm someone who's mostly against social media (I use Twitter as a news feed), and after reading What the Plus, I'm still not going to use Google+, but my opinion of it has become slightly more positive.
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What the Plus gives an excellent overview of Google+ profiles. Google+ is a social platform, not quite a social network in the way Facebook and Twitter are. The engagement is a quite different. This guide helped me get a better understanding of how to make it work for me as an author-entrepreneur.
The book is not so good on understanding how to use page. Kawasaki suggests you take exactly the same measures he recommends for the G+ profile and apply to pages. It is not that simple, in my experience.
If you're an author &/or entrepreneur, this is an excellent guide to get you up to speed quickly with G+.
Follow your bliss,
Ronda Del Boccio, the Story Lady
bestselling author, mentor and speaker -
Unfortunately I think I started this book a little late ... at about the halfway point of the book Google+ had a major upgrade and some of the information was no longer valid.
Having said that, the rest of the information covered was and is still pertinent. The reasons for setting up your site a certain way and the basic interaction suggestions still hold true. As do the majority of tips covering most aspects of navigating and utilizing the sites broad functions.
The most helpful thing for me was the way that the social media sites were compared and the analogies that were used. These really show you how most people are using the sites.
I hope that this book is revised to cover the new updates ... I think it can be a very useful tool for the newbies (like me) on the Google+ site. -
En un primer momento esperaba encontrarme con un libro corporativo acerca de Google Plus en el que simple y llanamente se me intentaran vender las bondades de esta red. Sin embargo, lo que he encontrado es un libro que expone como hacer un buen uso de dicha red y aprovechar las herramientas y el potencial que por sí mismo tiene Google Plus respecto a otras redes sociales, con consejos de los que se puede sacar bastante provecho. No se venden las bondades, sino que se muestran, una diferencia sustancial a la hora de presentar el contenido. Tomo nota sobretodo de la segunda parte del libro, donde creo que los capítulos son algo más completos que al principio, que sería la parte más de manual.
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Google.com/+JimmyWilliams
Anyone who uses Google Plus should read this book. This book has made my experience on Google Plus ten times better!
Google Plus changes damn near daily but this is still a valuable tool. While many people younger than me gravitate towards services like snapchat (which I refuse to use because I'm not into sending sext messages) and services like Facebook are unusable because I'm tired of getting request from family members who I personally don't like or old teachers who I want nothing to do with, Google Plus is a service I have grown to love. Many of the people in my circle have similar interest and it makes the experience a lot more satisfying. -
Another social media guru writes the book on it, but this one is worth reading. If you're trying to get into Google+, a very good social media platform with less of the annoying turbo marketing crap on most of the others, this book will help you kick off your experience. Google+ is a bit complicated compared to something like Twitter, but it has robust options for users to express themselves.
If you've been using G+ for a while, this book isn't going to give you much you haven't figured out already. But if you're relatively new, grab a copy and shrink the learning curve. You can ignore all the fan-full pandering and pom pom waving for Google. -
This e-book is a fast, easy, and fun read. I've been using Google+, FB, Twitter, etc. for a while but haven't really felt like which social platform I want to use for what purpose. I found Guy's tips on how to approach G+ (and other social networks) helpful. I also like that he had two guest authors to add different perspectives. The only negative for me is that the book does not go into G+ page strategies (for organizations), which I had hoped to learn more. I understand that in principle the best practices for how individuals can take advantage of G+ apply to organizations, but I wanted to get more insight into G+ pages (maybe a part 2?!)
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A small book and quick introduction to the whys and ways around Google+. If you have a Facebook account and want another social media outlet this may be worth considering. I have both Facebook and Google+ and enjoy them both. They are different in that Google+ does pull in,and interact with, other Google services. Various services like You Tube, Hangouts (getting quite advanced), and Mail, to name a few, that can all interact/interface with Google+. This book will explain specifically what circles are and how to use them and the power they can have. Circles is probably the greatest distinguishing feature between Google+ and Facebook and other social media sites.
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Buku ini ditulis oleh Guy Kawasaki dalam rangka menyebarkan 'kabar baik' yang bernama Google+. Yah, namanya juga Google+ Evangelist. Penjelasannya cukup menarik, memang benar bahwa ada fitur-fitur Google+ yang lebih unggul dibandingkan dengan social media lainnya. Meskipun ada beberapa iklan 'nyempil' di buku ini, tapi tidak terlalu menggangu penjelasan yang disampaikannya. Saya sendiri bukan orang yang terlalu 'menggilai' social media, jadi mungkin tidak terlalu paham dengan kenapa-sih-ini-penting-banget yang disampaikan oleh Guy Kawasaki.
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Един от многото минуси на Kindle е че ме запознава постоянно с нови заглавия, за които да си дам свободната част от заплатата, а новата книга на Гай Кавазаки за Google+ е част от тях. Свалих си книгата, за да видя какво толкова му е специалното на Гугълския Facebook… и не разбрах, но научих как да съм по-продуктивна в мрежата.
Вижте цялото ревю в
блога ми.
