The heart of Google+ is called Circles. It’s how you organize and manage your network of friends, associates and possibly enemies in G+. Above is the default Circles that Google did for you.

So here’s what’s cool about restarting. You’ve got a clean slate with Google+. You can refine and redefine how you want to organize your connections. Old friends, new random "has added you to their circles," even some old blockers are connecting on Google+. Because it’s like a wild frontier out here. And it’s no fun if your PLUSSING (kinda like a LIKE in facebook) to nobody.

And so the influence grab has started in Google+ too. Who will be the leaders? Who is the most followed? Why did Mark Zuckerberg’s Google+ profile suddenly drop off the network and then reappear? We’re all giggly about Google+ on Google+. And we’re also posting our Google+ thoughts back on Facebook and Twitter. Go figure!

BUT THIS IS THE MOMENT TO RECONSIDER YOUR SOCIAL NETWORK.

(I’ve written about this before: Cutting Back on My Social Scene and Focusing the Conversation)

Before you ADD and ADD and ADD to your circles, think about what went wrong with Twitter and Facebook. What about those experiences is less than fulfilling?

I guess that’s why my "following" (not sure I know you, but thanks for the add) and "social" (we know each other through this social media channel thing) circles are the largest at this point. I have not begun to sort or organize much in Google+. But already I’m a bit tired of the endless stream. I can look into the stream of content from ALL of my circles of any ONE of them. And in broadcasting (posting) a message, I can define if I want the message to go to my +Circles or my +Extended Circles (sort of like friends of friends) or the massively attractive +Public. Where is that Public stream shown anyway?

And one of the biggest challenges for me and Google+: How do I tag or retrieve information that passed by in the stream? I had to do some digging inside Google+ to find the graphic below. So what are the tools that will help us store and retrieve within Google+?

Well, one of the best things about Google+ at the moment is all the talk about Google+. And here, John Jantsch, the author of Duct Tape Marketing, nailed the Circles conversation for me.

The good news, is you get to REDEFINE how you are going to connect with people. Note to self: start over and don’t f-it up this time.

Now I just have to go implement it.

Bottom Line: Have fun, go slow. Don’t over populate your G+ until it’s as unusable as, say, Twitter without Tweetdeck.

@jmacofearth (also seen on Google+: jmacofearth)

permalink: https://uber.la/2011/07/start-over-with-google-plus/

Additional Posts of Interest:

• Google+ Micro-Review: If Drinking From a Fire Hose Entertains You
• The 9th Discipline of Social Media: Listening. Building Your Social Media Dashboard
• Social Media is a Pool Party
• Social Media Is More Fun Than Googling It: Why Do We Ask Questions on Social Media?