Comments on: The mystery of Public and Incoming at Google Circles: An Explainer (unless I’m getting it wrong)

By: 3 factors in winning the social media horse race | Chris Koch's B2B Marketing Blog

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 20:49:44 +0000

[...] There are only two types of relationships in social networking. G+ is touted as something new, but it’s really a combination of two elements that I’ve talked about here before: Permission-based and viral-based relationships. G+ combines the viral model pioneered by Twitter, in which you can follow someone you don’t know and hear what they have to say, and Facebook and LinkedIn’s permission-based models, in which you can only engage in relationships with those you know. All the social networks we’ve seen so far are based on one or both of these models. G+’s relationship model mix of the two is a little bit complicated. So much so that it takes a PhD. to explain it. [...]

By: Bob

Bob — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 16:15:11 +0000

What people forget is the Mobile aspect and its ‘nearby’ circle. ‘Public’ messages are viewable by anyone that is geographically nearby so potentially your ‘Public’ post will be seen by anyone checking the ‘nearby’ stream, while only those that are in your ‘extended circle’ AND nearby would see it there otherwise.

I use Public only for this ‘nearby’ Twitter-like purpose. If posting to my stream I always use ‘extended circles’ for widest distribution.

By: Fred

Fred — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 09:29:45 +0000

One question though: it sounds like it gives me a broader audience if i post to “extended circles” (“everyone in my circles and everyone in their circles”) than if I post to “public” (“everyone in my circles + my profile”). Can that be right?

By: robert matthew cook

robert matthew cook — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 01:01:35 +0000

This diagram from a forum was helpful in explaining message delivery to me…

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-QkCJDbDYOqA/ThQQnMBnLmI/AAAAAAAAAn0/zX4TaI0p8WM/h301/M4uaO.png

By: dave cormier

dave cormier — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 23:25:55 +0000

Business/network applications is the exception.

The one exception for this is using circles for work. I use it for different groups of people that i have different kinds of meetings with. i have some people who might be in the circles of two different projects, some in one, one person is actually in five circles. When i start a ‘hangout’ to discuss an issue, think on a topic, or argue about something… the invite goes to the right people. Yes, they can opt out if they want… but assuming we’re all ‘friends’ in the first place, your objections don’t apply.

But mostly i agree… I don’t like it. see http://davecormier.com/edblog/2011/07/04/google-google-makes-the-same-mistake-on-the-three-questions-for-tech-adoption/

By: Rajiv Pant

Rajiv Pant — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 22:07:16 +0000

Thank you for this excellent description and suggestion for Google. One point, however: I recommend against creating a Circle called “Coworkers” as that requires too much maintenance to be useful. People come and go in the organization you work in. Also, you may change organizations or be working in more than one organization. Therefore, I recommend creating Circles named after the organizations you are affiliated with. Here is my full post on the topic:
https://plus.google.com/107443707510532643538/posts/JJmnzBtCroh

By: Helena

Helena — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 22:04:47 +0000

Assuming that you and Carol have both circled the same coworker, would your post to your extended circle end up showing on Carol’s stream?