Initially Google+ was Google's big foray into social networking and while it gained users it never grew to the size of a Facebook, Twitter or even MySpace. But nowadays it's kept that capability along with bringing in aging Google features such as communities (it seems clear to me that communities will eventually only live in Google+).
From the outside looking in it looks to me like Google+ is going to be the hub in which users can interact with all of Google's properties that have a mechanism to work with and collaborate with other, public users. They likely still have millions of users.
In comparison to Facebook sure it's a massive failure. But I'm of the opinion that isn't an accurate nor useful comparison.
>Initially Google+ was Google's big foray into social networking and while it gained users it never grew to the size of a Facebook, Twitter or even MySpace.
It actually surpassed Twitter (and MySpace) pretty quickly after launch in terms of DAUs and MAUs, and remained the #2 network (behind FB) for as long as they released stats for it. I wouldn't be surprised if it still were #2 -- but they haven't released updated MAU counts* for a year or two.
> From the outside looking in it looks to me like Google+ is going to be the hub in which users can interact with all of Google's properties that have a mechanism to work with and collaborate with other, public users. They likely still have millions of users.
Yes, but we're talking maybe about .5% of all Google accounts actively use Google+... what's their goal at this point? 1%? is it a "if we build it, eventually they might come" scenario?
> is it a "if we build it, eventually they might come" scenario?
If they're being at all realistic then I think that idea has to be out the window at this point.
Not sure what their ultimate goal is. Since it's Google, even if millions of people are using it I fully expect them to just kill it eventually. I mean they pulled Photos out of Google+, maybe they'll pull out the communities stuff they've been working on and just axe the whole thing.
As someone who likes google+ I think what they do now is smart:
- decouple things from the g+ name since a vocal minority is still throwing a tantrum everytime the name is mentioned.
- g+ identity continues like before only they just call it "your account", not "your google+ account"
- why was photos, maps etc so heavily tied into g+ in the first place? I think it is safe to say now that that portal-like idea was a big nistake in the first place.
That just squishes the problem into a new space, and recreates the initial G+ problem. Actually, the original Gmail problem.
Until Gmail existed, there was no reason for the typical user to log in to Google at all. Webmasters and advertisers and a few other categories, yes, but search was just Generic, Unauthenticated Search.
Gmail changed that. Now the general public had a reason to create a Google acccount. And to have their online Google activity accountable to that.
I immediately resisted any temptation to create a personal Gmail account. I may have had several through corporate email (and yes, it was technically far superior to, say, Microsoft Exchange). But man did the idea of mapping my random search activity to my name (and my employer, and my paycheck) not sit well.
Any mandated centralised ID across Google services, without the ability to disown or repudiate services, is simply wrong.
I agree. I've got a lot of sympathy with Google's problems, and think they've done a good job in many regards.
The fact though that I cannot specifically associate or dissociate specific products across IDs is quite problematic. I've got a "Things I Don't Have" post somewhere ... Here we go:
The inability to, once, in once place, for all time, say "no, this shit isn't OK with me" on Google services doesn't sit well with me. It's why my public and personal use of the company's services are so widely separated, and largely minimised.
Using Google mostly to criticise Google has ... a pleasing symmetry.
From the outside looking in it looks to me like Google+ is going to be the hub in which users can interact with all of Google's properties that have a mechanism to work with and collaborate with other, public users. They likely still have millions of users.
In comparison to Facebook sure it's a massive failure. But I'm of the opinion that isn't an accurate nor useful comparison.