This past month Google launched the much anticipated Google+, the social networking site that is said to finally be competition for Facebook.  As with most Google products Google+ is currently invite-only during this initial launch.  Like most people who are into this sort of thing I was (impatiently) awaiting an invitation.  Saturday morning I finally got it.  These are my initial thoughts on the new kid on the block.

Sealed with a K.I.S.S. – The look and feel of this site is very simple and clean.  The Keep It Stupid Simple principle is most certainly applied.  With social networking the content is driven by users whose content cannot be anticipated.  Keeping the site design simple allows the website to avoid looking cluttered.

Easy Catch – The usability of the site is also pretty intuitive. The different sections on the site all have catchy names that make it easy for you to associate them with their purpose.  All your updates and friends updates can be found on the Stream, Your friends can be found and grouped together in the Circles section, conversations happen over in the Huddle, and Spark is the section dedicated to showcasing and discovering things that interest you – a strategic repurposing of Google’s all powerful search.  Finally if you need some face time with a friend or two head on over to the Hangout section for video chatting.

Seamlessly Annoying – Since this is a Google product naturally the site seamlessly integrates all your Google accounts into your profile.  No need to upload pictures.  Your Picasa (soon to be Google photos) automatically feeds into your Google+ account.  As much as I enjoy having one less thing to do this ended up being even more of a hassle as I had to go into my Picasa account and change the visibility settings to a ton of my albums.

Out of Business – If you are wondering how and if your company should set up a Google+ account the only answer is no.  Google has yet to open up the new site to businesses and brands and in this early stage most users are just familiarizing themselves with the network and are more focused with building their personal circles.

Even though Google+ isn’t a place for brands just yet I think Google definitely has the clout to make this a top contender in the social networking scene which in the future could lead to a new venue for online advertising. I encourage you to bookmark the site and keep your eye on it for future marketing opportunities.. In the interim take note on Google’s simple, clean, and catchy approach to social networking which is a + in my book.