If you mention ‘social networking’
to most people, it’s not unreasonable to believe that the first name that pops
into their heads will be Facebook.
There’s a good reason for that, as
Facebook has recently surpassed 1.19 billion active global users since its
launch in 2004.
The root of its success is that it
embodies the ‘social’ element of social networking far more completely than any
of its competitors. A digital Jack-of-all-trades, Facebook allows you to upload
life events, photos and videos, share your location and manage your social
calendar all through a single portal.
However, as with any product that
relies on popular consensus Facebook’s foundations are built on shifting sands
and security is never guaranteed. As
tastes and technologies change, users find themselves organically migrating
from one platform to another.
Facebook, we’re being told, is
undergoing a crisis as the teen market – so vital for the success of so many
products – is abandoning the service in droves. Teenage apathy, after all, was
the giant killer that brought down the once unassailable MySpace.
So if Facebook’s reign does begin
to wane, what young upstart will take up the crown? Believe it or not, it might
just be Google+.
Once maligned with a shrug by those
in the know as the ‘why bother’ of social media, Google+, the social platform
bought to you by – you guessed it – Google, is really starting to find its
feet.
Offhandedly dismissed by many
commentators on its launch in 2011 as a den of geeks and boring, grey-socked
technology people (potentially due to Google’s on-going invitation only soft
launch policy, re: Gmail), Google+ has built its user base spectacularly and
now occupies the slot of second most popular social network, with 540 million
active users.
Compared to Facebook’s 1.19
billion, this may not seem all that impressive, but considering that Facebook
was launched nine years ago while G+ has only just marked its second birthday,
this is not something to be sniffed at.
While businesses have faltered in
their efforts to position themselves successfully on Facebook, Google+ makes it
far easier for companies to integrate their presence into the site and it is now
not uncommon to see a red +1 button on a company’s website.
There is also far greater benefit
to businesses in having a Google+ presence.
Let’s not forget that the bedrock of its core business is the search
engine market so a company profile on Google+ (supported, perhaps, by some
sponsored content) offers a boost to brands when it comes to their placement in
Google search rankings.
Combined with a solid SEO strategy,
the implication (tacit as it may be) is that if you use Google’s products then
you may just find yourself heading up the list of ‘organic’ search results.
With a combination of business
appeal, seeming omnipotence and good timing, Google+ is definitely one to watch
over the coming year.
This post was originally written by me for inclusion on Core Marketing website.
This post was originally written by me for inclusion on Core Marketing website.
