Few things quickly came to my mind after opening my first Google+ page.

Until then I had already created and administered a work related Facebook page for over a year (Metropolia Career Services) and one page I created and co-administered for a candidate running for the Finnish Parliament in 2011 (Ms Johanna Värmälä).

Shouting your slogan or listening to your customer? Reciprocity?

In its current phase a Google+ page seems to offer less textual communication possibilities than a Facebook page, but instead more audio visual ones. The emphasis is on what an admin can do towards the customer.

A Facebook page still seems to be better in utilizing the true power of social media: listening to your customer and engaging them in various interaction, getting the leads via voluntary participation and not via commanding with slogans. The emphasis is more on what your customer can do with you.

Case Career Services

I take an example close to me: a university Career Services page.

In Facebook employers can post job offers on the wall of my Career Services page as another page and get brand visibility, job seekers can post links to their homepages etc – anyone can initiate a contact on the wall.

In Google+ the page admin can post different messages to different circles and get comments, organize a hangout for councelling students or for an employer to have a group interview with job applicants etc – but the initiative always comes from the admin, not the customers.

Willingness to participate

Of course, even though you’d give your followers the possibility to participate in different ways, they may choose not to use it.

As I stated in my first Google+ page post yesterday:

“In autumn 2010 it took about two months before first job offers were published by employers on Metropolia Career Services’ Facebook page. Even though also job seekers were welcomed, no posts linking to CVs etc has yet been emerged.”

It will be interesting to see, if students – or employers for that matter – would join a hangout organized by Career Services: at least in Finland people are believed to communicate rather in writing than in speach if they can choose – especially if a camera is involved.

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Related:

On second thought: Google+ Circles – Talking vs. Listening

Google Blog: Google+ Pages: connect with all the things that you care about

Google+: Metropolia Career Services

Facebook: Metropolia Career Services, Johanna Värmälä

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Edit 2.12.2011: Statistics on Google url shortener goo.gl/saiAJ+

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