Back in 2011, Google launched a social network that was poised to be a “Facebook killer.” I joined the wave of marketers that adopted Google Plus, and briefly considered abandoning Facebook.
Six years later — Facebook dominates our lives more than ever and G+ is widely viewed as a failure. I however, use Google Plus every day and find it an important part of my productivity.
Why I still use G+
I don’t use Google Plus as a social network, but rather as a convenient bookmarking tool that saves me a ton of time every day.
Like most people, I have a habit of getting easily distracted online — but G+ helps me stay focused in the moment by allowing me to quickly save interesting articles and websites so I can return to them later.
And I actually do this — when I’m stuck in line somewhere, I will open the G+ app on my phone and find what is basically my “to read” list. If I am signed into Google Chrome, things that I posted to my Google+ profile will float to the top of search results so I can find them later.
Two things that make this work:
- It’s easy: When G+ launched, it came with a wave of tools like an app and Chrome browser plugin. Every major WordPress theme also integrated G+ buttons, so it is very easy to post something to your G+ profile. I also use Buffer app to simultaneously send articles to G+ and real social networks.
- You won’t bother anyone: The lack of people on G+ is also an asset — unlike Facebook and Twitter, I never have to worry about cluttering anyone’s feed on G+. It’s like my own little notebook of things that I find interesting.
I recommend giving “Google Plus as bookmarking tool” a try — it significantly improved my productivity by giving me more control over when I consume interesting content.
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