Why Google Plus Is Failing

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Many people are familiar with the social networking platform Google Plus. Google Plus logoThe basics are pretty much the same as every other networking site, but why don’t you know anyone who uses it? There are many questions surrounding the enigma that is Google Plus. With the name and reputation it possesses, everyone wants to know why Google Plus is failing.

What is Google Plus?

A Google Plus profile is very similar to a Facebook profile. The user has a profile picture, cover photo, “about” section, status and more. One difference it has that Facebook doesn’t is the Circles feature. This allows users to organize the people they know into groups to share content easier. Google Plus is failing despite the abundance of featuresOnce organized, the Stream feature allows users to view updates from the people within their Circles. Users recommend websites and links by using the +1 Button, similar to a Facebook like. Users share photos, update their friends and “like” pages much like Facebook users do. These features prove successful for Facebook and other social networking sites, but Google Plus is failing.

The Numbers

The simple fact is that no one uses Google Plus. People use the Google search engine so much that it’s become a common verb. The reputation is not the problem. Google is one of the most valuable companies in the world valued at $581 billion. The money is not the problem. So why does the company keep pouring money into a website that, according to comScore, users only spend an average of 3 minutes a month on? Perhaps the company simply cannot admit defeat. The situation worsens when one considers the fact that Google Plus was only created to compete with Facebook.

Why Google Plus is Failing

Many people agree that the problem with Google Plus lies in the fact that it’s nothing special. Even at its launch, the company never provided a clear differentiation between Google Plus and Facebook. There wasn’t even any differentiation between it and any other social networking sites for that matter. When it comes down to it, Google Plus doesn’t offer users anything exceptional. Their target audience already has accounts on other sites and there is nothing to persuade them to go to the trouble to switch over. Social networking sites have to be competitive to stay relevant. The numbers don’t lie. Google Plus is failing. It has to bring more to the table if it wants to survive.

Hollis Byram
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