Another G+ Social Network?

By now you have probably heard about Google’s competitive offer to Facebook: Google+ (you can visit my profile here).  So, you would be excused for thinking that the latest launch of the G+ Social Network also belongs to Google.  Literally, a day before the launch of the Google+ social media network, I received an invitation to join another “community” entitled G+, by Gerson Lehrman (GLG Group based out of NYC, providing vetted human insights and research for companies).  Coincidence?  Bad timing?  It’s all a bit confusing.  The Gerson G+ is more like a business-oriented Quora: questions and answers around business issues.  I have signed up because I am a part of the GLG network.  Its results will appear in Google, so it is “open” to others outside of the network.  Here is the screen capture of the mail I received once had signed up.

G+ from GLG Group

Suggestions for GLG

I’m sure that GLG management are scratching their heads about this.  They will definitely not be able to win the keyword battle!  What could the Community Manager do to make the most of this “coincidence?”  Unless Google clamps down on them for some form of copyright infringement (GLG’s G+ URL is Gplus.com!), here is what I suggest Courtney might want to do:

1. Act in real time and comment about the coincidence to its founding members (so far no news).
2. Integrate Google Plus into G+ immediately to show reactivity.
3. Find ways for the GLG members to create and share specific Google Circles.

Meanwhile, if the Q&A platform on G+ is to work for GLG, it will be important for people to start providing valuable answers to the questions posed.  With Google+ and all these new social network platforms, the challenge will be getting embedded into our daily existence.  Google certainly has a gaping opportunity with Google+ assuming it can find ways to filter out the noise.  G+ on the other hand will need to crystallize its community and show that its answer board is more powerful than via Google search (or Quora for that matter).

GLG: over to you!