I’m sharing this post on my Facebook wall, and here comes the irony; the majority of my social referrals to this page comes from that network.

I have been with FB since 2007, and have accumulated a pile of digital acquaintances and a small handful of real friends in the process. I have had a mostly pleasant experience with this network, and have no intention of bailing. But my time engaged with it is decreasing.

I am spending more time on Google +, and I’ll submit 5 reasons why you should consider it.

First, some quick background for newbies or folks who signed up and never came back.

G+ has a lot more guys on it than women. A bit of a log jam, but women are most welcome. Just don’t expect your purse or cupcake to be fawned over.

Most of the guys are single, if you’re interested in some man mining.

20% of members list themselves as students. Yes, students. When grandma is posting kisses and kittens on FB, this is sanctuary.

You will get a lot of reads of your content, but not many shares – your stuff has to be good.

The +1 button, Google’s “like”, is served about 5 million times a day.

Here’s the top 5, in no particular order.

1) It’s less ridiculous. With humble apologies to my friends who love cats and memes, I just can’t take it much longer. I have had enough. It’s a rare day to find a cat on G+. You aren’t awash with invites to play casual games, and your wall is not stuffed with requests to get this app or that app. Your wall (called a stream) does not look like a Reno slot machine. It looks like a reinvented social experience.

2) Intelligence is rewarded. Sites like Reddit  are clean graphically but they employ a hipster hostility that basically says, “You suck until you don’t”. It reminds me a lot of San Francisco hipsters – intolerant and narcissistic. It’s not friendly. Google + posts will not get you a ton of responses and shares, but your content is getting read and respected. Good content you post is rewarded with shares and comments. The club is picky, but very polite.

3) It’s more professional.  Samsung, Starbucks, Coke, and  clothier H&M have a strong presence on G+, and their occupation on the site is not intrusive.

4) The most followed pages will surprise you.  Paris Hilton and Britney Spears have their real estate, sure, but a lot of bands are among the most followed pages. Coldplay is at or near the top of the most followed bands, and this may be instructive. A certain red-haired late night comedian has staked out a fortress that doesn’t get lost in the Facebook noise.

5) It’s different from Facebook.  The great Yogi Berra, the New York Yankee legend and oft-quoted clumsy wordsmith, once said of a St. Louis restaurant, “Nobody goes there anymore…it’s too crowded.”

Facebook is a packed nightclub. Some are looking for a spot where they can get a table and relax. Google + may be that new spot, for you. See you there.