Google+: Good Idea, Failed Execution

When Google+ launched in 2011, I was one of the first users. Originally, you  could only join if someone else invited you. There were discussions of its superiority over Facebook, how nice it is to arrange people into circles, and excitement for the future of the social network. Like many social networks, however, Google+'s minute of fame ended when it was released from the chains of private beta. The world saw it, and while there was a general consensus that it was good, there weren't many incentives to switch from Facebook and other social networks.

Google's first mistake with Google+ was the decision to, one, name it Google+. The name is clunky and seems like an upgraded version of Google instead of a separate social network. But perhaps the most catastrophic mistake was the decision to force Google+ upon all Google and YouTube users. You could not have a Google or YouTube account without at least having an associating Google+ page. When the update rolled out to YouTube, many YouTubers were in shock. There were comment section revolts over the Google dictators forcing users to make a Google+ to comment. Simply put, users do not like being forced to use a service. This created a general discontent with Google+ that caused people to hate it without even using it. Google+ was good, but its decision to force itself upon the users of its other sub-companies is what caused its downfall.

Google+ has realized its mistakes, finally. They have announced the partition of Google+ in many different ways, but still keeping the service. Just in the past year Google has announced that Google Photos will be disassociated from Google+ and become its own service without the need for Google+. YouTube has also changed to allow accounts without a Google+ profile, and comments are no longer automatically shared to Google+. Even Hangouts, a service that made Google+ awesome for talking to friends, has branched out of Google+ and can now be used without a Google+ account.

Unfortunately these backtracks cannot save Google+. Almost every Google user has a Google+ account, but there's no incentive for them to find their friends on it or use it actively. Discontent created with the forcefulness of Google+'s launch prevents friends from recommending it as their main social network, and as a result, it will not ever grow to what they hoped. Some people do use Google+, but most of what I see on there is Android and Google related blogs. You won't find many common people using it to be with friends or family. Google+ had a chance to create an amazing social network, as many people already use Google daily. Unfortunately, that was never realized.

Image source: Lifehacker