SR2 - Lana Bromley
Google+ is a social networking site launched by popular search engine Google in 2011. Like the 'Add me on Facebook' button, Google+ has a similar button and with that comes a style guide. This button announces your presence on Google+ and allows people or other businesses to add and interact with you through the site. With this, for online use, Google+ provides an official version of the badge in various colours suitable for placement on blogs and websites. 
Google+ also encourages its users to promote through offline medias such as magazines, newspapers and signage.
The recommended wording includes:
- Follow us on Google+
- Follow us on Google
- We're on Google+
- Follow YouTube on Google+
There are three approved icon variants for use with a business, brand or personal profile on Google+.
What is not allowed:
Along with the above, interestingly, Google+ is also against the use of their logo in any text of a +1 button and they are also quite particular with the naming of the site, statements such as 'Google+ us' do not conform.
I find it quite interesting that the style guide does not allow for personalisation with the statement in which a brand entices it's clients to add them onto the network. As for aesthetics, as a designer, I understand the need for simplicity and to make the logo stand out amongst other features on a website or print, however I don't think there is a need to control the statement in which a brand uses to do so. I also think the use of not including the +1 (an old logo for Google+) is quite relevant as it does not relate to the visual identity of the network anymore.
All in all, I think the style guide is specific enough to convey the 'look' Google+ is after and to show them as different to other social networks such as Facebook or Myspace.
References:
Petrovic, D (2012), 'Google+ Style Guide', Dejan Seo, retrieved from http://dejanseo.com.au/google-style-guide/ on April 16, 2012
Plummer, L (2011), 'What is Google+?', Pocket-lint, retrieved from http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/40785/what-is-google-android-iphone-apps on April 16, 2012
There are three approved icon variants for use with a business, brand or personal profile on Google+.
I find it quite interesting that the style guide does not allow for personalisation with the statement in which a brand entices it's clients to add them onto the network. As for aesthetics, as a designer, I understand the need for simplicity and to make the logo stand out amongst other features on a website or print, however I don't think there is a need to control the statement in which a brand uses to do so. I also think the use of not including the +1 (an old logo for Google+) is quite relevant as it does not relate to the visual identity of the network anymore.
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