Google Buzz (Kill) Has Driven Me To Social Media Self-Examination

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Is anyone else tired of hearing that Google Buzz is the “next big thing”? Did you open up your Gmail and give it a try, only to realize you’ve just given more of your time away to learn yet another social media tool simply because Mashable told us Buzz is a social media game changer? Have you begun to wonder how much Mashable is getting paid to support, promote and keep saying positive things about Buzz while so many other reputable sources are telling us what’s wrong with it?

Maybe I’m alone in these thoughts, but in the past week since Google launched Buzz – the new Gmail-integrated social media tool that purports to combine the best elements of Facebook and Twitter into one place – I have become exhausted with the headlines, with trying it out for myself, and most importantly with the incessant hum of social media ‘experts’ telling me how I MUST start using Buzz if I am going to succeed in my social media strategy.

All of this has driven me to a bit of self-examination in my social media usage, which in the end seems to be the only foreseeable positive result of the whole debacle. This post is not as much about my annoyance with Google’s attempts to corral me into using Gmail and Buzz in ways that I never realized I couldn’t live without as much as it is about being reminded why I am involved in the social networks I have chosen, a closer look at my social media ’strategy’, and a challenge for all of us to stay true to ourselves and avoid being swept up in the latest craze.

To start, I’ve already written about my frustrations with Google Buzz, which you are welcome to read here. Countless others have also expressed their less than positive reaction, as well as a significant amount of uproar concerning the privacy violations, which Google appears to be trying to resolve as quickly as possible. But for some reason Mashable, one of the most respected go-to sites for all things social media and a place I visit often, has from day one all but crowned Google Buzz the new king of social media tools, putting out an unprecedented amount of Buzz-related articles in the last week, most of which are singing its praises and telling us how to best utilize the tool in every aspect of our lives. I even saw an article on CNN by Pete Cashmore, founder and CEO of Mashable, titled “Why Google Buzz will be a hit“. I started asking friends if they thought Mashable was getting paid by Google!

Regardless of whether or not Google Buzz will catch on and be utilized by the world in ways that neither Facebook nor Twitter has is yet to be seen. And although I have turned off Buzz in my Gmail because of its annoying attempts to lure me into another social media time-sucking vacuum, I am not at all closed to the possibility that I too may someday use it should my friends and family find it their tool of choice. But all the hubbub made me stop and take a look at my own social media usage combined with my own painfully insecure and selfish desire to avoid being one that has missed out on the newest, shiniest toy on the market.

What is it that makes us feel this way? When the Nexus One Google phone was released, I simply HAD to have one, even though I had only upgraded my phone to an Android-based model just 2 months earlier. When I started using social media, I had to set up my accounts in all the recommended places in order to have a well-rounded and complete social media’ strategy’ for my freelance business. I just bought a Kindle last night to fulfill my geeky book reading dreams, feeling so ‘late’ for taking this long to make the purchase.

Sure, we live in a capitalist and consumer-driven society, which has contributed to the breeding of generations who can’t seem to get enough. But why do I allow myself to succumb to the popular consensus of what I must or must not do in so many areas of my life?

When it comes to social media, it seems more and more that many of us are fighting a battle to keep it ’social’ and out of the hands of those who are trying to utilize social networks for marketing and selling and spamming. But when I look in the mirror I cannot deny that I have used social media for some of these same purposes myself at times, and although the benefits for my freelance business have been overwhelming, the social aspect – and the stumbled upon new fascination with it – has become my number one priority. My ’strategy’, as it were. I have discovered and developed numerous new relationships and friendships, far beyond the number of clients, through social media. Isn’t that what the term ’social’ is all about?

So why then would I want to add another ‘weapon’ in my social media arsenal in the form of Google Buzz? If anything, I need a tool that trims down the various places and websites I choose to visit in order to maintain and grow these online relationships. I don’t need to keep another browser window open for Gmail and Buzz in hopes that I will develop yet another group of followers to engage with. I don’t need to buckle under the pressure of competing for a respectable number of contacts, friends or followers to strengthen my influence and enlarge my brand.

What I need is to continue to get better at giving and sharing and interacting with others who have similar interests, interesting viewpoints and intelligent discussion. I am still learning how to do that on Twitter and Facebook, and I enjoy it this way. Maybe Google Buzz will open that door for someone who doesn’t feel comfortable in the Twitterverse or Facebook land (are there really any people on earth who don’t use these social networks but instead would prefer to socialize in Gmail and Buzz?)

For now anyway, I refuse to allow you to taunt me with your next big thing, Google. Nice try but no thanks, Mashable.

I need to focus my energies on what I’m already struggling with juggling, thank you. Not to mention my real life friends and my wife and children. Seriously. How many ‘friends’ and ‘followers’ can one man have real, meaningful social relationships with anyway?

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Comments ( 25 )

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This post was mentioned on Twitter by bkmacdaddy: Google Buzz (Kill) Has Driven Me To Social Media Self-Examination – http://bit.ly/crMM1s (my new post!)…

uberVU - social comments added these pithy words on Feb 17 10 at 12:01 pm

I can’t agree more. I looked at Buzz, got annoyed with their privacy, and decided I have my hands full already with Fb and Twitter. Not to mention…How many meaningingful social relationships do I really have with those followers that I already have? Great post once again.

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bkmacdaddy Reply:
February 18th, 2010 at 7:08 am
Thanks, Pam! One of the recurring themes I’m seeing among non-Twitter users is that Buzz seems more appealing or user-friendly to them. So maybe it will provide a place for those who don’t ‘get’ Twitter or utilize Facebook. Maybe that’s what Google was going for?

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Pam added these pithy words on Feb 17 10 at 12:05 pm

Your post helps provide more insight for the social realm. I wasn’t bothered by BUZZ privacy flaw because I set my privacy settings on every site I test. The first thing I did was read up on buzz, looked at features and set up my names / block list and even tested it out with a friend for 2 hours prior to actually buzzing. I deleted the buzzes that were issues and helped others fix theres.

Granted I was overjoyed to test a new medium, I’m no wowed by it and only see myself using BUZZ socially and just to keep in touch with my community which I do not do on twitter or fb that much.

Until Google fixes the way to sycn your contacts, who sees what posts and gives me more options, this is just a live forum for me and friends. I am not happy about the “you have 39 buzzes – good luck go find them” feature.

Until then – it’s about as useful as Myspace Bulletins. (sorry myspace had to make you feel alive with a touch of text)

Great read Brian, love the thoughts that help anchor my own.

cheers!

~D

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bkmacdaddy Reply:
February 18th, 2010 at 7:09 am
Hehe…maybe YOU should have written this post, since it sounds like you spent a LOT more time in Buzz than I did. Thanks for the insight into the inner workings, buddy!

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Dwyndal added these pithy words on Feb 17 10 at 12:26 pm

I’m glad I wasn’t the only one wondering why the heck Mashable was relentlessly kissing Buzz’s behind. I’m not terribly impressed with it, but then again, a good amount of my social circle doesn’t use GMail, so I don’t have a lot of people to interact with on there to begin with. That could change in the future, but for now, it seems to me like Google tried to resurrect FriendFeed. I hope they put some more time and effort into Wave, which I see as being a legitimate, excellent tool with time and bug fixes put into it.

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bkmacdaddy Reply:
February 18th, 2010 at 7:11 am
I agree, Andy. I actually see the potential of Buzz in some ways, but Wave has a HUGE arena of possibilities. Hopefully Google will learn from their mistakes of pushing out products before they’re ready and take some time to make these tools all they can be – the right way!

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Andy Stitt added these pithy words on Feb 17 10 at 2:59 pm

Quality over quantity works every time. Share your sentiments exactly.

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bkmacdaddy Reply:
February 18th, 2010 at 7:11 am
Cool – thanks for the concise comment!

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Something Elseward added these pithy words on Feb 17 10 at 4:36 pm

I read your article, with a bias against Buzz before I started. But it is your comment set up that really caught my attention.

Why will my comments be captured as “pithy words”? I think you are going for “amusing.” Instead I see it as a way to undermine what your readers are saying.

I consider myself to be a good sport with a sense of humor but I’m missing your intent here.

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bkmacdaddy Reply:
February 18th, 2010 at 6:23 am
Joe,

The definition of “pithy” is “concise and full of meaning”. I don’t see that as undermining at all, but as a statement that comments have value. That said, this is actually a theme that I literally threw up to get my blog running last June because I didn’t have time to create my own, and the “pithy words” statement is built into it. I never actually had any intent for the statement – it came with the theme. But I didn’t change it either, because I found it intriguing and different. My apologies for any offense to you – there was none intended.
Thanks for stopping by!

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Joe Hage added these pithy words on Feb 18 10 at 2:09 am

I was just crafting a post on why I think Google Buzz is going to fizz, and it’s in part because of this burnout. Mostly Google failed to understand some pretty basic human behavior. Will finish writing mine tomorrow, but I just wanted to say I’m right there with you!

[Reply]
bkmacdaddy Reply:
February 18th, 2010 at 7:12 am
Cool! Thanks for the support and encouragement. Please link to your article here when you publish it so I (and other interested readers) can check it out.

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Verilliance added these pithy words on Feb 18 10 at 2:56 am

Nothing more than a Twitter clone but is very restrictive in who you can share stuff with.

Not a fan at all, and i see it being removed from Gmail accounts sooner rather than later.

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Laura Reply:
February 18th, 2010 at 6:08 pm
Restrictive is pretty accurate. I don’t use gmail. (I use Google Aps.) I don’t want to acquire a Gmail account specifically for buzz. I feel kind of in the dark and given what I’ve heard about the privacy issues, I almost want to stay there.

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Alan added these pithy words on Feb 18 10 at 6:22 am

I actually like Buzz. I am on my Gmail account several times a day and I can take a quick look and see where conversations are going. I like the forum like atmosphere of it, since I can see everyone’s comments to a buzz I commented on.

Now is it going to be the next BIG thing? Who knows? Who would have thought Facebook would beat down the mighty MySpace? Now I am starting to find Facebook a little irritating so maybe it is why I like Buzz.

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bkmacdaddy Reply:
February 18th, 2010 at 11:49 am
I hear you, Daniel. And I think it very easily could become a great tool for people who are using Gmail regularly. But for those of us who do not, it’s too much additional noise and open windows to check. Who knows? Maybe they’ll come up with apps like Tweetdeck to stay abreast of Buzz? As I said, the success or failure is still to be seen. Thanks for chiming in!

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Daniel Beatty added these pithy words on Feb 18 10 at 10:15 am

I couldn’t have said it better myself. For now I’m sticking with the four that I’ve trimmed down to: Twiter, Facebook, MySpace and LinkedIn. If Google Buzz has staying power I may add it, but I don’t it. I don’t even use Gmail, even thought I have an account.

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Todd Michael Greene added these pithy words on Feb 18 10 at 10:58 pm

I’ll be honest: I haven’t even given Buzz a chance. I have gmail but I use its pop3 service to Apple Mail. I heard all about the privacy issues and instantly determined that it wasn’t (yet) worth even the time (or risk) of turning it on, especially for my business. Sometimes less is more I believe: even if Buzz does become a hit, its better to have a quality presence in a few areas than to just exist in all of them. So I am definitely with you on this: thanks for the article!

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Kay added these pithy words on Feb 19 10 at 8:26 pm

Absolute solid +1

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El desalmado added these pithy words on Feb 19 10 at 10:39 pm

Well, privacy shouldn’t really your concern. After all the tweets you’ve sent
out to the world, it’s not really difficult to know a lot about you.
Buzz is neither better nor worse than fb or twitter because it only depends on how much information you are willing to provide.
Just my two cents…

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bkmacdaddy Reply:
February 20th, 2010 at 6:49 pm
Thanks for the input, Phil, but I believe there is a SIGNIFICANT difference between choosing what I want to share with the world, as I do with Facebook and Twitter, and suddenly having all of my contacts and information available to anyone who wants it without my consent, as Buzz initially made the mistake of doing. Since the rough start I have read that Buzz had made changes to remedy the situation, but my point in this post (and others) is that they rushed to make it available before working these problems out.
Anyone who follows me on Twitter or Facebook knows as much as I decide to share with them. So regardless of how much you may think you know about me, all you could possibly know is what I’ve chosen to share.

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Phil added these pithy words on Feb 20 10 at 6:08 pm

Thanks for the excellent blog post BK. As you already know, you are my favorite twitter source of links. I think twitter is ideally suited for that purpose. Even though Google wants to own that slice of the web too, twitter just works better. I’ve tried Buzz in my Gmail account, but like you, I think I’ll take a pass. Twitter works. If Buzz gains traction, then maybe I’ll reconsider. Else I’ll just keep doing what I’m already doing.

And if your “social media strategy” includes developing loyal fans, count me as one of them.

-Dave Lance

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David Lance added these pithy words on Feb 20 10 at 6:23 pm

Dear Brian,

Good post, at least you are honest & original – i appreciate that. I’ve been meaning to add my $0.02 here and i’m glad i took the time to today. I also feel that we (you and I) have known each other on Twitter since we started, and you might appreciate my take on this.

Buzz clearly changes the way we look at email (for better or worse). Clearly a benefit for early adopters who get “likes” miles long! I find it a useful tool, to engage with people and the community – unfortunately as social media grows we also need to grow with it; and that sometimes means getting away from our “comfort-zone”.

For the tech pundits it’s clear to see why they are jumping on the bandwagon early, let’s not even get into that. I understand all the points you made, esp about time management and a bunch of fake peeps who really don’t care.

I’ve found some good people there, who i learn from and who have actually become “real” friends of mine over on twitter. It’s helped me define myself further, but that’s just me.

I personally think you would get a good response over there dude – you clearly have defined yourself within your niche. Whether your tribe will accept that and follow you over there is of course your choice, but i can bet you’d find a whole set of different people to relate to and engage with.

Yes, you have chosen not to and you also choose your sharing. All i can say is that we are what we filter, on buzz, twitter etc. Good Luck.

Best,
A

[Reply]
bkmacdaddy Reply:
February 22nd, 2010 at 11:51 am
Hey Ahad,

Thanks for stopping by and sharing your two cents. Although the tone of this post is pretty anti-Buzz, I have not given up entirely on it, and it’s encouraging to see someone like yourself – whom I respect – using it and enjoying it. I guess the biggest issue for me right now is that I would have to have yet another window open to Gmail all the time, which is not something I want to do. I wouldn’t have done it with Twitter (I use a desktop app, Tweetdeck) and I don’t do it with Facebook (I only check Facebook 1-2 times a day). For a real-time, constantly updated service like Buzz I would need some other type of accessibility for it to fit into my routine. That’s why Twitter works so well for me. So, we shall see…maybe someone will design a desktop app or, even better, Tweetdeck could integrate Buzz into theirs. My other problem is with Google’s process, as I’ve expressed. It’s turned me off a bit on using their ‘next big thing’.

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