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I also use a small, limited pair of circles called Close and Keepers to pay attention to people who matter to me. This lets me dip into those streams to be sure to catch any news that they share, or help with any problems they might have, and that’s something that was harder for me to do on Twitter or Facebook, even with list functionality. (For whatever reason, Google+ seems and feels cleaner to me.)

But now, let’s move away from me and catch up with others. I’ve chosen these people to interview for a few reasons. In all cases, I either knew the person, or I got to know them via Google+. In all cases, these people represent different ways to use Google+, which is a great way to represent ways you might consider using the platform for your day-in-the-life experiences.

Interview with Scott Monty, Ford Motor Company

Scott Monty is the head of social media for Ford Motor Company. We’ve been friends for years, as Scott started his rise to prominence in the Boston area where I’m from. Over the years, Scott has led and participated in several innovative projects. I saw him all over Google+ on the second day it was open, and therefore, I knew he’d be the right person to ask about how someone in one of the top three auto makers in the United States uses Google+ for business.

Time Used per Day: 1 hour

Primary Goals of Usage: Surface interesting content, build relationships, share experiences, learn

Number of Original Posts per Day: 3–5

Number of Shared Posts per Day: 2–3

Number of Comments per Day: 10–12

Links to My Blog or Projects per Day: 1

Number of Off-Topic Posts per Day: 4

Typical Strategy: I’ve got my circles pretty well defined, so I look first for those in the tech and influencer circles to see what cool and cutting-edge stuff they’re sharing. I find that these groups keep me attuned to industry news, changes, and thoughtful, longer content posts. Then I look to friends, acquaintances, and other close circles to see what’s on their minds. When I find really good content from a “noisy” person, I’m careful about sharing it with too many other people and contributing to the noise, instead preferring to comment or +1 it.

Special Uses: Nothing personally, but for the Ford Motor Company account, we use it to share heritage and archival material, as well as Hangouts with otherwise hard-to-reach executives.

Scott’s doing a lot in early days to connect and build relationships. He doesn’t talk 100% Ford Motor Company, but he definitely represents his brand. I talk about his content strategy in a subsequent chapter, but the thing to learn from Scott is his gentlemanly approach to connecting with people. Remember: His buyer is anyone who drives a car. It’s a decent demographic to chase.

Interview with Greg Pak, Comic Book Author and Screen Writer

I knew Greg Pak as an author but not personally, but when I saw a single post of his on Google+, I added him to one of my circles and immediately started closely following his work. I also ran out and bought several of his most recent comic books so that I was “in the know” on what my new “friend” was up to.

That’s what is so cool about Google+: There’s an instant sense of connectivity that seems to come from using these tools. For example, when Greg shared his schedule of appearances at the San Diego Comicon, and when I commented on how clever that was, he answered back quickly, was human in his interactions, and earned a new fan (and hopefully friend) without a lot of hard work. If you’re a creator of any kind, you should think about how Greg talks about his day in the life to see what you can glean from his usage of Google+.

Time Used per Day: 30 minutes to 1 hour

Primary Goals of Usage: Keep current readers aware of what’s going on with my projects and books and try to reach and rope in new readers

Number of Original Posts per Day: 4–6

Number of Shared Posts per Day: 2–3

Number of