Google+ is still not liked and now Google’s pouting about it. Their social networking product, Google+, has fallen into the mud, face first. The only thing worse is that no one’s laughing, no one even cares.
Google made vain attempts to bolster public perspective of Google+ by limiting it to invitation only accounts. While people were curious, their curiosity was only out of incredulity. They did not believe Google would be capable of creating a product that would appeal to the masses and adequately compete with Facebook. They were right.
Flailing about to save the pitiful go at a social networking product, Google opened it up to all. On September 20th they opened it up and in one day there was a spike of 1200% in membership. It was just that curiosity that drove them there and the product was so horrible that since then, 60% of its active members have jumped ship.
Some claim they are surprised that this new Google product launch has been unsuccessful, whereas other creations of Google take off like rockets. I don’t think I would agree with this. Dig through Google Lab’s trash and you’ll find plenty of failures.
Chitika, who conducts web analysis, suggested that it is due to the limitations on the number of users and the need to present something the others do not have. Google’s Eric Schmidt, CEO, swears there really is something that makes Google’s product different from Facebook. However, what he does not realize is that it is not only making something that is technically different, but more appealing. He should sit down with Apple and learn, but with Steve Jobs’ passing Schmidt has no one to consult on this matter. Steve was the best at exactly this sort of business.
Facebook has captured a reported 800 million users who actively utilize their services. It sounds a bit over inflated, but we can imagine it is true, even if it isn’t.
Schmidt himself is delusional. He believes that a couple more privacy settings, the ability to click a +1 in your web searches, and an antiquated forum with a silly Googlish name “Hangouts” (itself sounding like something from the 80’s), are going to tear people from their well-established Facebook accounts. Let’s face it, Facebook communities are made up half of people we communicate with regularly Offline and the other half, people we really don’t know. Nevertheless, many people have hundreds of contacts in their Friends List. It is unlikely they will start from scratch at a Google hosted service. Wake up and smell the coffee, Google!
The speed of innovation is what this game hinges on and Chitika called it. Facebook innovates pretty quickly, but Google is known for occasionally shocking the world with a new twist. If Google can push the ball rolling faster, Facebook will fall behind. But innovation means nothing without an audience. And if people are not willing to look, no one will notice Google’s brilliance. Google, you lose! Game over!
