Is Google Plus worth adding to your marketing mix?

In a word: Yes.

Here’s why: Many of us are suffering from Twitter-Facebook over-sharing fatigue. If you look closely, quite a few of the early adopters have stopped participating. The most prominent names still tweet, of course, because they’re either celebrities using it as a megaphone or they’re social media experts whose paycheck depends on it. But even some of these folks aren’t as engaged as they used to be – rarely responding to @mentions any more, which is how you interact with individuals on Twitter.

And a surprising number of early adopter have simply signed off altogether or moved on to Tumblr.

Another factor: Facebook has become the Microsoft of social media. People use it because they have to, but complain about it all the time. Few are fervent fans of the company, and many, like us, are rooting for an alternative.

So here’s Google, again, taking another stab at breaking into the social-networking services business and challenging Facebook directly – although many think it will actually tank Twitter first.

It smartly set up a high demand-low supply scenario by making its Google+ profiles invite-only. This left the social media have-nots clamor for invites through tweets and posts, which fed the got-to-have-it frenzy.

Knowing a good thing when it sees it, Google copies Facebook where appropriate (see the strikingly similar profile layouts) and improves on Facebook features where needed.

Here’s a quick overview of Google+:

1. Circles: Lets you drag friends into different social circles and control what you share with which circles. So no more sharing your drunk-fest activities with your boss or grandma. This is a huge feature, and has always befuddled us that Facebook makes this so challenging.

2. Hangouts: Allows you to have video chat with a bunch of friends at once. Nothing revolutionary in concept, but works really well and solves many of the issues other services have. So this is another huge feature.

3. Instant uploads: If you were having challenges with uploading, this will help. Whatever.

4. Sparks: The next time you’re bored, this will suggest topics and links it thinks you’ll like. This might be a bit of a whatever too. If you really want this type of feature, join StumbleUpon.

5. Huddle. Makes it easy to send a text to a group of friends. This is really just group chat, so sure, we’ll take it.

Why businesses should care:

First, Google+ is growing faster than Facebook ever did. Despite its limited field test, the social network reportedly grew by 350% between July 4 and July 10, from 1.7 million users to 7.3 million. One study suggests it will hit 20 million users by this weekend.

Second, Google already has a mature advertising product, which means you’ll be able to target these millions of early adopters effectively, and eventually everyone else who signs on. Facebook has taken years to get it almost right.

Third, Google+ ties into Google Analytics seamlessly, making it easier to track and optimize your efforts.

Fourth, and really here’s the most important reason to jump on the G+ bandwagon:

Most small and mid-sized businesses were late to the Twitter and Facebook party. As a result, most Twitter accounts and FB pages are wastelands of updates typed in long ago. They never became part of many companies’ marketing DNA.

Google+ gives you a second chance. Especially if you start now and become an early adopter – make mistakes and learn before the rest of the world shows up. And a good portion of the world will eventually be there.

(This isn’t like Google’s earlier attempts at social media, Buzz or Wave, which both failed miserably. It looks like Google got it right this time – and the plethora of positive comments, blogs, and articles support this view.)

Now here’s the kicker. You can’t set up a brand or company page yet. Google won’t let you. Some companies have tried, but Google has turned off these pages, except for a few, like Ford, which is a part of Google’s experimentation.

A Google insider told me (and thousands of others) that they’re “coding like mad.” So look for brand pages soon.

Here’s your current business strategy: Put the Google Plus button on your site and be ready to join in once Google opens the floodgates.