There was no mention of Google Buzz, though, so perhaps you were reading a couple posts with overlapping themes. Good luck sorting it out!

Thanks so much.

What I like about Buzz is that you’re not limited to 140-character messages. I’m used to being terse, but given more space to express yourself is always a welcome bonus.

Users must be careful though about leaving comments. If you post risque comments or snarky remarks against someone, assume the worst: that the object of your ridicule will get to hear about it. The entire thread in Buzz can be emailed to anybody. So never leave a comment you can’t defend in court. Ahehehe

Google has quickly addressed the concerns about privacy and other criticisms about Google Buzz. That’s a good sign for me. And the fact that it’s got some of the best features of FriendFeed makes for better user experience. So I’m sticking around, yes.

Robin, You are a role model for social media engagement at this time – would you agree? You seem to be astute at picking your spots. The risk, of course, is that you miss opportunities by not exposing new sets of readers to your business.

Jan, It’s good to hear something positive about Buzz – it’s clearly attracted a lot of attention. Have you scaled back your other social media involvement now that you are using Buzz? Do you think you’ll be a long term Buzz user?

Gail, I miss the days when blog conversations were a real art form. The conversation on this post has been good, but it seems like these are fewer and further between. Maybe we’ll gravitate back to energetic blog conversations when the microblogging rage subsides.

Social media as a marketing tool must be incredibly overwhelming, especially for small business people.

One of the things which I would suggest in this regard is simply this – do more on fewer platforms. Marketers should not avoid any feelings of compulsion to have a presence on any platform, but instead to choose a few main platforms and adopt a more focused approach. Say, for instance, that you own a recruiting firm specialising in recruitment within the professions (lawyers, accountants, doctors etc.). Why waste your time on platforms where the median age of users is in the 18-24 age group? Why not forget these, choose one or two platforms where you have a fair chance of attracting users within your target market (LinkedIn might be appropriate in this example), and concentrate on building a formidable presence in these areas?

Why not keep it simple? A targeted, focused approach on one or two platforms surely beats a thinly spread approach trying to be everything to everyone everywhere. Limiting the number of platforms which you use in the first place would surely help prevent a lot of these problems.

This is an excellent topic and I’ve learned heaps from the comments so far.

Confession time. I missed the ‘Wave’ and have only just heard of ‘Buzz’. I’ve canned Facebook, avoided FourSquares and run from Friendfeed. Before I could say ‘iPhone’ or ‘Kindle’, I now have to mouth ‘iPad’. It’s a zoo!

That said, the more things change, the more they remain the same.

For every new product, service or platform, there’s a P&L and a group of itchy stakeholders parked behind the froth and bubble. Just as gravity remains 9.8m/second squared, business still needs profit; marketing plans need focus; benefits needs to be relevant and communication power is in the receiver.

Opportunities abound – to simplify; to make things easier; to remove the friction; to talk in plain English; to demystify; to humanize; to be authentic and touch others with genuine value.

I may still have a very old phone and be out of the loop (or wave) regarding the leading edge of the next big thing – but this ole dog sniffs major possibilities for some old school discipline and focus.

Thanks, Brad.

Best to you and your awesome readers,

Robin

I like that it pulls in your latest blog post to your stream if you elect to add your blog. And people can leave comments on your stream. Yeah, another platform that takes away the conversations about your posts away from your blog.

Is that a good thing? Well, Facebook does that, too, right? And so did FriendFeed in its heyday. Of course, I’d be happier if readers choose to leave comments right in my blog and not in some parallel virtual universe. LOL

I like it enough to use it, but not nearly enough to make me feel such utter loss if I do decide to walk away from it.