From Zuckerberg to Zealberg Part 2 Update

A simple but clever update to Google+ can better organize notifications and activity across the entire Google product spectrum and even the "Google color spectrum."

In part two I described how Facebook could compete with Google+ via an optional new feature for Facebook's NewsFeed and a "Just Me" feature that allows Facebook users to privately "Like" Facebook pages.


Roughly the same day I posted and promoted my Part 2 post, Facebook came out with a new commenting feature best described by Facebook:














Here's Facebook's photo example displaying the new feature:





















That's pretty interesting.

While the new feature isn't "fully democratized" (allowing users to selectively disable the feature entirely), I'd say that Facebook's new commenting feature is "semi-democratized" in the sense that users can remove the preview if they want.



Since I'm a pretty fair and balanced guy, here's an update idea for Google+ : A color coordinated Google+ notification counter.



Here's how the Google+ notification counter currently looks:










The number "2" represents the sum of Google+ notifications.


Here's the "simple version" of my proposed update:


First, keep the current notification count as is but change the color scheme to black and white, which would look like this:











(a white background / black number would work too)


Why black and white? You'll see in a second...


Now 2 is a rather low number for the purposes of my update idea, so let's change it to 14 notifications:












Here's how a color coordinated Google+ notification counter could help in sorting 14 Google+ notifications:


When you click on the counter/number, a drop down menu would organize each of the 14 notifications in the following manner:















Hopefully Google fans immediately recognize why I changed the main notification counter's color scheme to the black and white color scheme.


Now when you click the main notification count, you COULD receive notifications on being added to circles and updates specific to three of your top circles.


This is not the main idea behind my proposed update, however.

The main point behind my idea is a color coded notification system that organizes notifications using the "Google colors" as shown in the classic Google logo:












^ blue, red, yellow, and green = "Google colors" ^


Now while the Google+ team could take the basic premise of my update and apply it to Google+, here is how I would do it...


First, if you refer back to my Part 2 post, you'll see that Scott Locklin criticizes Google for its "knockoff competitor" products and what he believes is Google's basic business model.

While Locklin may be correct in his claim that Google has failed to monetize any of its products on the level of the revenue it generates from search term advertising, that is not to say that Google's various products aren't widely used.

Given that, I would design my color coded notification counter to be entirely customizable to the Google product user (not just the Google+ user).


Here's how I would customize my color coded Google notification counter, which would be displayed each time I logged on to Google+:


















Now I'm not sure if there is a Chrome (Google's browser) add-on that can do the same thing as this idea. In fact, I would be surprised if there isn't.


However, I'm a Firefox user and not a big fan of any Firefox add-ons other than Collusion which is worth a look


All in all, each time I log on to Google+ and see notifications only specific to Google+, I always wish I didn't have to separately check my Gmail/YouTube/Blogger account to see if there is any new activity associated with each of my other accounts for Google products.

An update on the likes of my idea would certainly be convenient and time saving for me.

However, in my personal customization example, I envision this Google notification counter update as a way to make Google+ more than just a social networking service but a "starting block" portal for users of Google's various products.

So that's that.

Lastly, one concern I have about Google+ is the potential awkwardness of the acquaintances circle for "millennial" users and the preteen/young teenager demographic.














I can understand the utility of any user generated, custom circle (using the "whatever floats your boat" reasoning).

However, for millennial Google+ users and preteens/young teenagers, I envision a definite level of potential awkwardness in adding any number of one's peers to the acquaintances circle.

Millennial users have largely known:

Myspace, with its "top friends" feature.

Facebook, with its friend requests, "mutual friends," and applications like "Friend matrix" that are a constant element of one's News Feed.

I'd say that things have largely been pretty "friendly" when it comes to social networking services (aside from Twitter).

BUT: Now there's Google+ with it's default "acquaintances circle."

While the idea of acquaintances is realistic and comfortable in REAL LIFE interpersonal relationships, the past and present nature of digital interpersonal relationships makes the idea of an acquaintances circle seem sort of old fashioned, socially awkward, and generally "I-don't-know-or-want-to-go-there-like" for the millennial, preteen, and early teenage Google+ user.


Google loves data analysis, algorithms, and everything in between.

It would be interesting for Google to analyze Google+ users who add people to their acquaintances circle with respect to their given age.

I'd envision older Google+ users as users more likely to use the acquaintances circle.

Who knows, I could be wrong.


Part 3 about Facebook vs LinkedIn coming soon.