An Invitation To A Google+ Hangout Next Monday

Those of us who use Google’s Blogger Platform to create and write our blogs must surely be aware by now of Google’s intention to integrate Blogger with Google+.  Over the past year or so we have seen this happen with Blogger:

1. Picasa Web Albums changed to Google+ Photos
2. Blogger Profiles can now be associated and thus changed to Google+
3. Google Reader abandoned
4. Blogger Comment Integration with Google+ (voluntary for now)
5. It’s only a question of when, not if, until Blogger Followers are abolished
6. Google+ Followers Widget has already been added to Blogger
7. Google+ Share Buttons added
8. Blogger’s Editor can now publish directly to Google+
9. Several new Google+ Sidebar Badges and Widgets added to Blogger

The Google+ Train is picking up steam and heading our way

Google+, whether most bloggers like it or not, is where the future of our Blogger Platform is headed.  Based on the amount of effort Google is throwing into their flagship social networking application, anything else makes no sense.  Other options, like WordPress have many, many issues including the cost of setting up a WordPress blog on a dedicated, paid for server.  It’s not worth the cost to me.

Here are some of the reasons why I think Google+ is great for me as a blogger:

1. I already use Gmail, Picasa, Drive etc. so Google+ is a no-brainer
2. Circles are awesome – a simple, secure way to manage contacts
3. Control over my stuff – I can leave, with my data, anytime
4. Hangouts – terrific for video chats as it allows 10 simultaneous chats
5. Setting up a secure Profile is a breeze
6. Google+ is integrated with my favourite browser – Google Chrome
7. Unlike Facebook – there are NO Friend Requests
8. G+ lets me assign a privacy level to all content I choose to share
9. I get unlimited photo storage on Google+ for all my blog photos

Am I recommending you should all go out and join Google+ today if you haven’t already?  Nope!  That’s up to everyone to decide on their own – for now anyway.  Remember when Google introduced the new Blogger Dashboard GUI?  It was voluntary for a while but not for long.  It makes me wonder just how long it will be before a Google+ ID is a requirement for Blogger.

Google+ allows you to chat with up to 9 friends or family simultaneously

There seems to be a natural hesitation among many bloggers about Google+.  That’s understandable because it’s new and therefore ‘scary’!  it’s actually pretty simple though so I’m looking for 9 volunteers to either join G+, or if you’re already a member and have questions, then join me in a Google+ Hangout next Monday.  During the Hangout session, I’ll try and answer any questions you might have and hopefully be able to actually show on screen what Google+ is all about!

A Google+ Hangout Next Monday, May 20th at 10am PT (1pm ET)

If you’d like to be one of the 9 to get in on this G+ Hangout session, then just send me an email or leave a comment and I’ll be happy to add the first 9 responders and send you an invitation.  Remember, you must be a Google+ member to take part in the Hangout but I’ll sign you up if you say you intend to join Google+ before Monday.  It’s easy to remove a G+ membership later if you decide to change your mind.

Have a great Wednesday, and thanks again for visiting!