Social Media Wars: Why Google Plus is Better than Facebook

Let me say this again in case you missed it, “Google Plus is better than Facebook,” get over it.

Even introverts nowadays are social. We have seen the rise and fall of different social media networks. Remember the days that MySpace was the in thing? Well social media has evolved over time and while other social media networks became popular for some period of time, others have stood the test of time.

Thousands and thousands of people join different social media networks each day. Different social media networks also come up each day. College students come up with ideas on social media networks and from their dorms dream of how they will become the next Mark Zuckerberg.

However, putting the small boys aside, the 5 major social media networks are Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, LinkedIn and Pinterest. There are a few others that have made to the limelight, but these 5 are the major players fighting it out for the market share. There is no doubt that Facebook is the largest social media network in the world with the largest following. If you are not on Facebook, you are not cool.

While most social media networks were designed for individuals (introverts) to be social online, over time we have seen companies and organizations joining different social media networks to get social with their clients. Social media has also been a great avenue to drive business and create leads. While you are using social media for personal reasons, businesses and organizations are using social media as a marketing tool.

On the topic of this article, I boldly state that Google Plus is better than Facebook. I know all Facebook fans are all irritated and G+ fans are quietly smiling and wondering how I am going to prove this point. If you are into hip hop, you would liken this social media network beef to the Tupac and Notorious B.I.G beef. You cannot sit on the fence on this one, you are either on Tupac’s side or Biggy’s side.

I understand that I lost most of you nerds, but I’m simply implying that you either choose Facebook or you choose G+ whenever someone asks which between the two social media networks is better. It also depends how you are using social media and what you want from the networks. As much as most social media networks seem to be having the same purpose, technically, they are very different.

Now that I have chosen my side (are you over it yet?), I will explain a few things that I can do with Google Plus that I cannot do on Facebook and I find them totally awesome. Probably Mark’s team is working on them and they will just add more color and make these ideas their own. However, as it stands, these features make G+ a great social media network and the user experience is totally awesome.

Google Plus is more than just a social media network and at times it cannot even be fair to compare it with other social media networks. The aim of G+ is to totally change the user experience of people online.

6 Features on Google+ that you cannot get on Facebook

Below I will break down a few cool features you probably never knew about because you are a Facebook junkie. After reading through you I am sure you will be creating your Gmail account just to try out if they really work or I was simply talking about technology of the future.

Sharing Experience Made Much Easier with Google Circles

This is a great feature that is available on GPlus and not on Facebook. While on Facebook you can accept friend request you get on your profile, there is no way that you can classify your friends. Each of your friends can see your posts and anything that you put on your account.

On Google Plus, a user has different circles that they can put the people they connect to on. There are posts that you might not want your workmates to see and therefore you can target a particular audience with Google Plus. Sometimes you wish you could do this on Facebook, right?

What’s more, using this feature is simply awesome with the choice to simply drag and drop users in particular circles. While on Facebook you can restrict who sees content on your profile, it is not easily manageable as it is on G+.

Google Hangouts and Live Video Chats and Conferencing

How cool is that? Last time I said this to a friend, he was quick to correct me that on Facebook you can also make video calls(#FacePalm). Google Plus totally changes the experience when it comes to video chats and conferencing online.

You can be able to plan events online with your friends through video chats on Hangouts. It makes it easier for companies to plan events and you can actually agree on details through live video chats and comprehensively plan and set up the event on Google Plus. This can be used as a great social media marketing tool by various marketing teams.

Watch a Youtube Video with Friends in your Circles in Realtime

Seriously, am not talking about you clicking a youtube video and it loads on Facebook. I am simply talking about two lovers on a long distance relationship but they want to watch a movie on Youtube together. That pretty romantic you would agree.

Google Plus allows you to stream a video on Youtube together with a friend in real-time. You can even discus events in real-time. That’s pretty much like watching something on Youtube while you are with the other person physically.

Show me that feature on Facebook I give you a cookie.

Easier Content Curation on G+

Google plus makes it easy for users to curate content. Especially when you are using the social media platforms as a marketing tool, you would want your content to reach more and more people. On Facebook, you can simply like a page or place. That’s cute but what strategies does Facebook use to ensure that they at least generate interests to people who have never heard about your brand?

Sparks on G+ is a great feature that puts out your content to the users. This feature helps generate interests among other GPlus users that are not following your brand or blog.

Cloud Feature on Google Plus

When you take a photo with you smartphone, there is a feature that when enabled your photos can be automatically be uploaded on the cloud. These photos cannot be seen by your friends on G+ but you can later choose which ones you want to upload on your profile for your friends in different circles to see.

While Facebook is constantly improving the photo experience of its users, there is no provision for saving your photos on any cloud and retrieving to upload on your profile. This feature can also be used as a backup tool for your photos.

Let me Quit when I want to Quit

Did you know that when you deactivate your Facebook account it is not entirely removed from Facebook. There are various reasons that one may want to remove their social media accounts. You account in Facebook is usually temporarily accessible by your friends even after you delete your Facebook account.

On Google Plus, you can actually deactivate the account and it is not accessible by anyone. You get the provision of saving all your data however so that in case you have a change of heart later you can restore all your details. This feature is also available with Facebook.

Bonus Point: Google Plus is great for SEO

Yes, this is the best social media network as far as Search Engine Optimization is concerned. If you do not love yourself, who ever will? Need I say more?

These are among the features that support my motion that “Google Plus is better than Facebook” when it comes to social networking. The Google+ team tries it best to address various issues and flows that Facebook has to change the experience of users on their social media platform. The social media wars between Facebook, Twitter, G+ and the rest will only benefit the users and improve the user experience online and so we should always support the beef. At the moment, I choose to side with Google Plus and you need to get started with you GPlus account to understand exactly what my point is.