Photo by Market Star

Google+ just opened up to the public allowing anybody that’s interested in having an account the ability to sign up and join the new social network. Maybe I haven’t really taken the time to use it to its maximum, but so far, Google+ hasn’t played that important of a role in my life. When I think about it, I’ll log in periodically and see what’s going on, but it’s usually the same three friends of mine that are posting things with little to no interaction. Perhaps, though, with the ability for more people to join, it will start being more popular.

Besides the fact, I will admit that Google+ has been doing some great advertising for their network. It’s been all abuzz in the social media world and everyone is watching it. I also attended the Austin City Limits Music Festival this past weekend and one of the first things I noticed was Google+ had a stage under their name, targeting just one of their specific demographics. They didn’t just have a stage either, they were handing out goodie bags and t-shirts that had their branding all over it. I feel Google+ is taking the right measures to get themselves into people’s lives, but, for some reason, I can’t help but doubt that it will become a competitor of Facebook.

One reason being, I feel Google+ and Facebook are going to be (and already seem) too much alike. Certain abilities are both available on Facebook and Google+ that, to me, I wonder why I would even need to use both. I also feel that Facebook and Google+ are going to continue to mimic and copy each other after a new idea is launched that neither of them are going to get a step ahead in the race. Just like with Facebook’s recent “Subscribe” button launch (it’s a button that allows you to follow the public updates of others, even if you’re not Facebook friends), which some are saying is a “a very Twitter-like and Google+-like function.” I’m afraid neither of them are going to be able to offer something truly unique.

Maybe that’s just how I’m viewing it right now and I think we all need to wait and see. However, I’m having a hard time figuring out if Google+ is really going to “Myspace” Facebook as many are proclaiming. As for now, I’m going to continue using  both and, maybe, with more of my friends joining the network and the inclusion of business pages to Google+, I may not be using my Facebook as much as I used to.

What are your opinions about Google+ and Facebook? Are you a diehard Facebook user or are you open to transitioning to Google+?