1. It’s confusing to use, unlike other Gmail products. Facebook had that effect on me at first but it went away with time. Hope the same happens with Buzz
2. It’s another Google program. I’m already worried about my dependence of Big G and wonder if their ‘do no evil’ saying won’t lose the ‘no’ word at some point
3. It looks like Google doesn’t have a strategy for their social media hub (as all their services will probably try and integrate into Buzz at some time). They don’t get that the center/focus point in social media is the person and his relationships. In Buzz is hard to add new friends, catalog them in categories, import contacts and such. There are no complex choices like you get in Facebook (sorry for bringing this up again, but Buzz is meant to compete with them after all)

I believe those three things will put a lot of users away from Buzz once the first buzz wears off. I’m afraid Google Buzz will become another Wave, but only time will tell if I’m right.

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I don’t want to say that Google Wave is a bad thing, not at all, but don’t expect it to break the 20 + years of daily sending emails (email was invented almost 40 years ago) in just a few weeks. Email is not only in our blood, but also in the DNA of the Internet, being integrated everywhere, plus there are tons of applications using it, for desktops, laptops or mobile devices.

Google Wave

Google Wave might prove itself to be a very good conversations archive or collaboration tool but won’t replace Email anytime soon, nor it intends to do so (I don’t think Google is enthusiast enough to make this kind of grandiose plans). It might be Google’s answer to social media, that I believe.

Now that I bored you with my ramblings, what’s your take on this and do you have a Google Wave invitation you don’t need?

Google Wave presentation

In case you don’t know much about Google Wave here’s a short video presentation.

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Gravatar logo

There are a lot of ways to promote yourself in social media websites but by far the easiest way to strengthen your personal brand online is to have consistency wherever you post or comment. That means using the same username all over, and even use the same picture for services that allows this means of identification. I find Gravatar the easiest way to promote your image as it matches your email with an image you choose and when you comment on blogs, social networking sites and such your image gets downloaded from Gravatar and matched you the email you use in comments for example.

The advantage of using Gravar is that is widely used by blogs and networking services plus you can change the picture in one place and it gets updated everywhere you left a mark. Getting an account on Gravatar is free so there’s no motive to not get one fast and start strengthening your image online.

And here’s a short video presentation of Gravatar:

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The basic rules

Be a friend, not a jerk

Now let’s see some of the basic rules of social media netiquette:

• don’t send friends invitations without a proper introduction – they don’t know who you are in most cases and they shouldn’t guess
• don’t abuse sending invites to everyone in your address book and don’t send those invites every day
• use your real name, not a fictional one – this way things can get personal
• humanize your profile, add real info about you, make people know who you really are – if they don’t like you for who you are then it’s not worth being friends with them
• don’t get too personal or divulge confidential information – remember that the Whole World Wide web can see you now
• don’t submit just articles on from your own blog in social networks based on sharing links and don’t over promote your company (unless you’re on a business oriented social network)

There are of course a lot of social network etiquette rules that apply to certain social networks. That’s why below you have a list with a few articles that treat in details those topics.

List of social media etiquette articles

• Social media to-do list for Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, LinkedIn, Stumbleupon
• Etiquette in social media age – Email, Facebook, Blogging
• The 11 rules of social media etiquette
• Social media etiquette roundup

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The next video is a sort of Facebook conspiracy theory. It seems a little too dramatic, but also raises some questions. What do you think, will you continue to post sensitive information about yourself online? Even if you think you share it only with your friends.

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