This is why Slashdot has multiple reasons for +1/-1 mods. More flexibility.
Congrats might be appropriate, but should that count as a +1 making your update more visible? It's hard to say. Perhaps it should differ by user - being a +1 to users who tend to congratulate others.
But anyways, your experience might lead me to try G+ where I haven't tried their competitors.
This is why Slashdot has multiple reasons for +1/-1 mods. More flexibility.
Congrats might be appropriate, but should that count as a +1 making your update more visible? It's hard to say. Perhaps it should differ by user - being a +1 to users who tend to congratulate others.
But anyways, your experience might lead me to try G+ where I haven't tried their competitors.