Excitement ruled the digital waves this past week as Google finally unveiled its much-heralded social media platform, Google+. Here at balloon dog we were lucky enough to secure an invite to try Google+ (invitations were halted after the world, his wife and auntie's live-in lover stampeded to it and nearly brought it down!) and here are a few of our observations.
Design: Well it’s Google, so an expanse of white interspersed with flashes of colour were to be expected. What was less expected though, thoroughly sensible if slightly dull, was the borrowing of navigation and display from other Google platforms such as YouTube. 'Hangouts', a virtual way to have a video natter has much in common with YouTube (into which it integrates) and is a fun and easy way to have a virtual get-together.
Functionality: If Google+ is going to be anything more than a curio then it’s here that it needs to score over Facebook. Does? Well yes and no. 'Sparks' a way of being given content ideas that you'll love and want to share is great and works on the same principle as Google itself. 'Huddle' allows you to create a text conversation via your mobile - great but no great advance on, say, messenger via groups and 'Instant Upload', which allows for social media sharing, which can be done with any number of apps.
Point: And here's where the whole thing gets really interesting. What's the point of Google+? Yes it’s a multi-platform all-singing all-dancing social media site but then isn't Facebook? Yes, it’s easy to use, it’s powerful and free... but again so is Facebook. Besides platitudes and all sorts of Google-esque niceness about providing an improved hub for your social media it seems to lack a genuine USP; that Facebook toppling blow doesn't seem to be there. So what is the point? And more to the point, what is going to entice millions of Facebook users to at least create another Social Media profile or even more optimistically abandon much-loved and long-built Facebook pages.
This last point I cannot answer. As I say, the functionality's great and with Google ultimately offering it as a free bolt-on to existing Google subscribers it will attract an audience, but will they be able to keep them? It's a big ask even for someone of Google's size. Perhaps they are looking to capture Facebook deserters, those people who've grown weary of ads and privacy issues. It’s a thought but can we really expect Google whose lifeblood is PPC to shy away from ads on plus? Now that really would be something to 'Like'.
As a digital marketer I shall watch Google+ with interest and will enjoy watching the tussle for attention that will undoubtedly ensue between it and Facebook. As to which will emerge victorious, I think I know which my money's on...
Giles Luckett
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