Yesterday Google’s Vic Gundotra told TechCrunch that the way the company handled the Google+ brands pages was “probably a mistake.” Given the backlash Google is currently receiving for their poor handling of Google+ business accounts, it’s good to hear Google acknowledge their mistakes. Google warned Google+ users that the service is currently for real people only and that brands would be shut down, but when the culling happened yesterday, no one seemed prepared. Furthermore, a few people were extremely vocal about their displeasure with the situation. Possibly because the situation hasn’t exactly gone the way it was announced.

Accounts for Mashable and Ford were shut down and then quickly reinstated. Mashable has transferred the account into CEO Pete Cashmore’s name, despite the fact that Cashmore already had a personal account and now has two. TechCrunch created a profile for Techathew Cruncherin to wait out the months until brand profiles are allowed.

Search Engine Land’s Danny Sullivan critiques, “I’d say you’re all new to the social game and should be forgiven that you have messed up with how to handle brands here so badly. Except, you’re not new. […] You knew—had to know—this would happen.” SEL’s Google+ profile was shut down and was not reinstated when Ford and Mashable’s were.

TechCrunch’s MG Siegler expressed his displeasure with the situation in a blog entry titled Fucktarded+ yesterday.

Google+ will have business pages in about two weeks, according to an interview Ad Age conducted with Google’s Chrisitan Oestlien. The interview reveals more about the project, including exceptions to yesterday’s statement that all businesses currently running on personal Google+ pages would be shut down. Companies like Ford, who have quickly adopted the Google+ platform and already have an active community interaction on the network, get to keep their pages and will be part of the initial test group.

Google has already received thousands of applications for business pages, from the application form Google released yesterday.  Companies like Ford (which has a Google+ page) and Dell (no page yet) have been hosting hangouts with consumers, videochats that connect companies with the Google+ users. These companies and others, including MTV, Mashable and some European charities, will be allowed to continue using the service, but the Google policy team is actively shutting down other profiles that will have to wait for the official business options.

Oestlien told Ad Age that applications for business profiles will be open until some time “early next week,” and that a few hundred companies will be part of the test phase.

Notice something in the arrows above?  Both companies used almost the same exact article title.  They’re killing each other’s originality.  Let me get into this later.  Right now I’ll tell you about the previous strategies versus the present of Mashable and TechCrunch.

Mashable’s Perceived Previous Strategy
When Mashable first started, Pete Cashmore focused solely on writing about MySpace and other social networks.  One of Cashmore’s first articles that became instantly popular was, “If You Don’t Have A MySpace, You’re a Lametard.“ 

It was a unique approach to blogging, but it worked.  Like many other entrepreneurs, Cashmore never graduated college, but he found his groove and it worked for him.  When Cashmore offered Pulse 2.0 to write for Mashable in 2006 and we said no, it was because we wanted to see how much P2 would grow.  There was mutual respect in doing that and Cashmore is a great guy. Since then P2 worked with Mashable to promote the Open Web Awards.

Mashable’s Perceived Current Strategy
Mass blog post production.  Now Mashable writes about everything happening on the Internet.  They have slipped away from their core focus from strictly social network news.  For example, one of their last articles was: ABC Launching Upgraded Video Player For Fall Season.  This has nothing to do with social networking news. 

TechCrunch’s Perceived Previous Strategy
When TechCrunch first started growing, Arrington was writing a smaller number of articles per day, but he made sure that it focused on only web start-ups and it was higher in quality.  I looked at Techcrunch’s archives from February 2006 and noticed that Michael Arrington only wrote about 61 articles that month.  All of those articles focused on startups.  When you thought of any kind of web startups, you thought of TechCrunch. 

TechCrunch’s Perceived Current Strategy:
Mass blog post production.  Within the last 22 days, TechCrunch has published over 113 articles about everything happenng on the Internet.  In the rare instances where TechCrunch writes about a startup today, it gets mixed in with tons of information that other blogs and publications have already written.  TechCrunch is shifting away from their core competency.

Consequence:
The above screen shots are the results of what happens when you attempt to be something that you are not.  You try to replicate a model to the point where you beging to think exactly the same as the other. 

Pulse 2.0 Strategy
Given the constructive criticism I’m giving to both Mashable and TechCrunch, you may ask what makes Pulse 2.0 unique from the other tech blogs?  Pulse 2.0 focuses on news, startups, social networks, funding, and whatever we feel like adding.  If I see a funny video clip created by 1938 Media, I’ll post it.  If Shan can prove that 6 volt batteries do not contain 4 AA batteries in it, he’ll publish that.  Pulse 2.0 is a thinktank. 

If you have any feedback for our current business model, I’d be happy to hear about it.

Mainstream and Large Social Networks

Applications and Widgets

Social News and Social Bookmarking

Social Search

Sports and Fitness

Photo Sharing

Video Sharing

Start Pages

Places and Events

Music

Social Shopping

Mobile

Niche and Miscellaneous Social Networks

2. JUDGE’S CHOICE

These sites were chosen from the nominees list by top bloggers from more than 30 partner blogs. This is a confirmation of the results posted earlier this week.

Mainstream and Large Social Networks

Applications and Widgets

Social News and Social Bookmarking

Social Search

Sports and Fitness

Photo Sharing

Video Sharing

Start Pages

Places and Events

Music

Social Shopping

Mobile

Niche and Miscellaneous Social Networks

Open Web Awards Blog Partners
Techdirt
/Message
Blognation
Andy Beard
Collective Thoughts
Gadgetell
Watch Mojo
How to Split an Atom
Luca Filigheddu.com
Marketing Pilgrim
Pulse 2.0
ParisLemon
UnBlogged (Spanish)
Stuff We Like
Kineda
Crenk
WebAppers
RotorBlog
Small Business Trends
Skype Journal
BuzzMag (Czech)
Disruptive Conversations
Akimoto@CybozuLabs (Japanese)
BlogOnExpo
Under the Radar
Alarm:Clock
901am
LiewCF
Social Networking Watch
Download Squad