A few weeks ago I wrangled an invite to Google+ and now have some invites of my own to share. I thought I’d also offer a few thoughts for those of you who haven’t had a chance to get inside yet.
If you’d like an invite
- Leave a comment below
- when filling out the comment use the email you want the invite to be sent to
- Your email doesn’t need to be a Gmail address
- You will need to have or set up a Google account for the email address
I’ll send out invites to the first 50 people who ask for one, assuming there are 50 of you out there that want one.
Here’s my profile for those of you with an account who’d like to connect.
Thoughts on Google+
I’ll spare you talk about what Google+ is or how it’s similar and different to other social networks like Facebook and Twitter. There’s plenty of information out there already that’s easy to find.
Instead I’ll offer some observations from my own use of Google+ these last few weeks.
- I find myself checking in to Google+ more than I am other social networks
- I find it easier to navigate and set up than Facebook
- I like how circles makes it easy for me to send posts to different groups of people though Facebook is now adding similar controls
- I like being able to follow people without them having to follow me back
- Despite it’s quick growth there are far less people posting than joining
I’m following a little more than 100 people and about 40 people are following me. My network isn’t particularly large which could account for why I don’t see many people posting. Of the 100 I follow only 20 or so seem to post regularly.
On the bright side the number of people posting seems to be increasing and less people currently active means more opportunity to have a conversation and get to know others.
When I’ve sought out people to add to circles they tend to fall into one of several camps.
- Internet celebrities
- Internet marketers
- Designers and developers
- The generally tech and web savvy
Perhaps that’s more to do with my own interests than who’s really there, but understand that for now your mom isn’t there. Neither is mine.
While Google+ is growing it’s not mainstream yet. That may or may not be an issue depending on who you want to connect with.
I also find myself drawn more to the design of Google+ which makes better use of space and color than Facebook. That helps contribute to the easier navigation for me.
Why Google+
If you’re already on Facebook or Twitter you may be wondering why you should sign up for Google+
I’ll leave it to you to decide if Google+ makes sense for your personal life. It’ll probably depend on whether or not your friends are there or can be convinced to join you.
On the business side Google+ is still small so there’s opportunity to build up an influential account before the masses arrive, assuming the masses do arrive at some point. My guess is Google finally got social networking right enough that the masses will arrive in time.
Google has said a few times they look to social signals as a way to determine rankings. SEOmoz posted a few months back about how they were seeing a strong correlation between ranking and social signals. Correlation is not causation, but given how Google has said they do look at social signals it seems likely that what happens on social networks influences where web pages rank.
It also makes sense that Google will use data from their own network over data they might get from another network as they’ll have more and cleaner data from their own network.
Even without changes in ranking Google+ might already be influencing click through as results now show when your Google+ friends have +1d one of the results. You might even see the recommended content ranking better for you.
Google+ still hasn’t introduced business pages but they should be coming and again being an early adopter will probably put you in a better position once the mainstream arrives.
Who Wants an Invite?
Again I have invites to give out if you want in.. Just leave a comment below and use the email address you want me to send the invite to. It doesn’t need to be a Gmail account, but you will need to either have or create a Google account with a public profile in order to use Google+ with your preferred email address.
I’m guessing we won’t reach that 50 invite limit, but if there’s a large demand I’ll offer more in the near future. I want to hold some in reserve and also don’t want to overwhelm myself having to send them out so quickly.
Naturally if I do invite you I’d be happy to have you add me to a circle. Like I said there’s not a ton of conversation going on at the moment so we can easily connect.
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been looking for one for a while now. lirish30@gmail.com. please and thanks.
ok go for it ^^
sure. I want an invite
I got tons of invites myself if anybody wants one tell me on twitter.
I would like to get an invitation. Thanks!
I’d like one!
I would be happy to get an invitation and test Google+.
Thanks in advance !
We would love to get started on Google+ before every other company does so. So an invite would be great!
I’ve been waiting for someone to offer and invite. It would be great to get one.
Thanks!
I’d like one too, please. Thanks in advance!
I’d love one!
Yes, please. icehawg@gmail.com
Yes please – and thanks!
I’ve invited everyone who asked so far. We’re up to 12 invites.
Yes. I feel so left out! Thanks.
No need to feel left out anymore Tracey. You’re invite has been sent.
Thanks for the invite.
You’re welcome Michael.
Thanks for the invite.
We would appreciate an invite. Thanks.
Would love to get one. Thanks!
Hope to meet you soon in a circle near G+
Thanks !
Thanks. You’ve inspired me to do the same.
Would love an invite. Mahalo! See you on G+.
Note that if you do use a Google+ account with your existing gmail account:
* Google+ requires you use your legal name, with no nicknames
* Google will disclose your profile name to all of your email contacts who also have Google+ because the profile is the same.
If you use your gmail account for services for which you wish to remain anonymous, then don’t use your Google+ account with that gmail account. Google wants to link the two – your email to your social networking.
Personally, I find this abhorrent. I don’t want my email linked to my social networking, and I use my email in places where I don’t want to expose my name. (The rest of the profile you can keep private, but you can’t make your NAME private apparently.)
I had to cancel my google+ account because of this, and more importantly, Google failed to disclose that they were going to share my name with everyone who had my email address! ugh. Still, it’s in beta, so… maybe they just didn’t know the implications?
Anyway. That’s one huge advantage facebook has as far as I can tell.
I can’t WAIT for Diaspora!
All good points and I agree with you about having to use your real name. I think Facebook wants you to use your real name too so I’m not sure there’s going to be a significant difference between the two down the line.
I also use an email that’s not my gmail address for most Google services. I keep the gmail account completely separate.
I do understand though why you would delete your Google+ account. I think their stance on the name/username is wrong and hope they change this.
Diaspora will be interesting. The hard part is going to be getting enough people to know about it.
Count me in
I think I’ve managed to invite everyone so far. If I missed you let me know.
I’d appreciate an invite. markeseiler@gmail.com
I am an Authorised Google Apps reseller in Aust, yet i haven’t managed to get an invite yet! Unfortunately, they don’t allow Google Apps accounts to use Google+ as yet, but i am keen to get on and have a good look around. levonau@gmail.com
Thanks
You have one now.
An invite would be awesome, been after one for ages!
calejapan@gmail.com
Cheers bro!
I’m pretty sure I’ve caught everyone. It looks like I’ve given out 21 of the 50 so far.
love your work man! thanks alot
Hi Steve, this is a great idea. I’m already in Google+, and I too, have invitations to give away. When you use yours up, feel free to send folks to my webpage. They can email me via the order page. (No, they don’t have to order anything.)
I’ll definitely circle you. I also like your work, and your helpful, informative newsletter (when I have time to read it!).
Thanks Carol. I figured I had the invites so why not use them and might as well give them to people who read here. It’s another way we can all connect.
Oddly I don’t seem to be running out of invites. My account still shows the same 150 it started with. Maybe Google isn’t limiting them right now.
By the way I did find you on Google+ and added you to a circle.
I would be very grateful for an invite. Thank you
I’d love an invite.
weeklybeef@gmail.com
Great blog
An invite would be great, been after one for months!
Thanks a lot!
What to say ?
Thank you.
Very cool read. Wouldn’t mind checking out google+ for myself if you have any invites left.
Cool, because I’ve always wanted an invite lol. People have been saying good is the new, big facebook and twitter. so, I really want to get on google+.
I hope I get selected!
I would truly appreciate an invite.
Thank you,
Fredi
Oh, and my email is thejaydawg@gmail.com
Sorry about that.
I would like an invite please! mike@seventhridge.com
Thanks,
Mike
I think that’s now 31 invites sent. If I missed anyone please let me know, but I think I’ve sent an invite to everyone who asked for one so far.
Is it to late ? Could you send me one invite?
Thanks a lot
It’s not too late. Invite sent.
I don’t need an invite, but just would like to encourage more people to use Google Plus. It really is a great attempt at social networking by Google – light years ahead of Google Buzz, their last attempt at this sort of thing. I’ve been on for a while and love it. I find myself checking out my Google Plus a lot more than I do Facebook.
Thanks Alex. Part of the reason for this post was to get people inside so they could use Google+ more. I hadn’t realized you were there, though not that I do I did a quick search and added you to a circle.
I want one invite! Thanks
Do you have any invites left if so I would like one dre74a@gmail.com thanx.
I have been searching high and low for an invite to google+, so if u do have any left over i would be eternally grateful and thank you for such a gesture i will add you to my contacts on there here is my email address spraytec@gmail.com thanks again in advance…
I would appreciate an invite phil.haley@ntlworld.com Thanks
Thanks for the invite Steven!
You’re welcome.
If anyone hasn’t received their invite let me know. I still have another 15 or so to send out before reaching 50.
Thanks so much for this!!
(I think I forgot to mention that I’d like an invite!)
Pamela, I sent one to you earlier. Did you get the invitation? If not I’ll be happy to send it again.
I would like an invite too please and I’d love to read a post of your thoughts for social networks future and their SEO impact on websites now that Google+ seems to become the new trend.
Thanks
Interesting idea for a post. I’ve answered the question on several forums already so maybe a blog post would be a good idea. I’ll make a note.
I see you got the invitation and are inside Google+ too.
Would love an invite. Hope I’m not to late. BTW, great article!
It’s not too late. An invite should be on it’s way to you now.
I’d love an invite if you still have spares. Thank you!
I would love one
Thank you.
I would love join google+. Hope its not too late ! ssunghoan@gmail.com Thanks!
As usual, I guess I’m too late, if not, I would really appreciate one.
Thanks (hopefully)
It might be too late – as a lot of other things here in Oman. Hard to be working away from home… Rgds..Carsten
I love to get a invitation if you still have one.
Thanks.
No one was too late. I think I got all of you. Let me know if I missed anyone.
Have I missed the boat? If not, is there any chance of an invite? Many thanks.
I don’t know if you’re all used up now, however I’d really love an Google+ invitation.
Thanks
Pete
I would love one Thanks
Feel free to keep asking. I still have plenty of invites left. Again if I’ve missed anyone just let me know. I’m pretty sure I’ve invited everyone who’s asked so far.
Thanks for the offer – would love an invite.
Hello! Great post. I would love an invite if still available. Thank you so much!
Thank you!
You’re welcome Miguel.
Hi Steven!!! I wanna try!!! Invite me! =)
Hi if there are any invites still avalible i would like to have one please.
Hello, Steven! I would love to have an Invite, too….if still available. Thanks so much.
I’m not sure if you have any invites left but I wouldn’t say no if there were a few more available.
Thanks so much.
It would appear that getting a google+ invite has become the social networking challenge of the year. Be that as it may, Obviously I hope that you can send an invite to me using my ruascleverasme@gmail.com email address.
I’m still getting everyone so feel free to ask for an invite. Also please let me know if I missed anyone who’s asked so far. I think I’ve gotten everyone.
Hello, Steven! I would love to have an Invite. Thanks so much.
Hello Steven! I would love an invite to google+ if you still have some left. Thanks
Thank you for doing this! I would love an invite!
Your site is what I love about the internet. Thank you. I, too, would really appreciate an invite.
I would like an invite!
You don’t need one anymore. Google+ is now open to everyone. Just visit Google and check the +You link in the upper left. It’ll take you to the sign up form.
It will be my pleasure to be in one of your circles.
You no longer need an invite to get in. Google+ is now open to all.