Google Has Stopped Trying to Make Google+ Happen

Social Network Comes Full Circle

In 2011 Google introduced its own social network to the world, one that would one day be a rival to Facebook and Twitter: Google+. With now about 540 million monthly active users, it would seem that Google+ has failed to compete with social media giant Facebook. And that number may not be entirely reliable as it also counts the Google accounts that interact with Google+, in any way.

Source: weknowmemes.com

In an attempt to make Google+ 'happen' and truly compete with Facebook Google started, and there is no other way to put this, shoving Google+ down people's throats. Essentially, Google was forcing people who have no interest whatsoever in joining the social network to sign up. This plan backfired spectacularly; Google+ became the social network people avoided at all cost. Google tried to change that, coming up with small ways to make people join: for instance, if you want to comment on a Youtube video you have to have a Google+ account. If you want to join Gmail, you have to open a Google+ account as well.

This 'making people join Google+ at all costs' policy received a lot of criticism and did nothing to help with Google+'s popularity. In an unexpected turn of events, slowly but surely, Google have decided to abandon their social network.

Source: weknowmemes.com

You no longer have to have a Google+ account when you create a Gmail and you can choose to click, like most people will, on the 'No Thanks' button. There has been no official announcement of Google's departure from Google+, but in April Vic Gundotra, who was in charge of the social network, left Google. Nowadays, you can even use Google Hangouts, one of the cooler features of Google+, without a Google+ account. More and more you can start doing things with Google services without being a part of Google+, which is a victory in itself. Hopefully the next victory, for people who use Google regularly, will be the ability to comment on Youtube with only a Youtube account again.

After only three years, Google+ can really be called a failure despite all of Google's best efforts. Will we see Google+ disappear completely from our screens in a few years time? It seems very likely, and no one will mourn its disappearance.

Laura Veit

Laura is a recent graduate from University of East Anglia in Film and Television Studies, currently interning as a content writer but hoping to one day live off her writing. Follow her @LauraAtSMF.

Source: http://www.socialmediafrontiers.com/2014/09/google-has-stopped-trying-to-make.html#.VCqLHhY0-Sp