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Why Google+ is the future of social networking
I think Google+ was launched at the appropriate time to succeed. It’s been five years since we’ve seen the launch of a significant social network, and Google+ could reinvigorate the market, which Facebook has dominated.
MySpace was launched in 2003, Facebook and Orkut in 2004 and Twitter in 2006. We haven’t seen the launch of legitimate social networking competitor in that crucial 5-year window from launch to critical mass.
As a community, who is always looking for the next big thing, Google+ has come at the perfect time. Facebook has easily established itself as the go-to social network, and will be for a while longer, but Google+ offers users a fresh take on the social networking platform that hasn’t been seen since Twitter.
We’ve seen the social scene slow during the past few years, which is a testament to how Google+’s launch is ideal. Evaluating a quick overview of social networks shows from 2007-11 roughly 20+ social networks were launched, compared to 2003-06 where 33+ sites were introduced.
The social networking scene has slowed during the past few years, which in turn has slowed innovation and it shows. In the 2010 calendar year Facebook only released two updates — Questions and Places. Meanwhile, Google is continually revamping its existing products and introducing new ones, like Buzz (even if it didn’t exactly blow your socks off), all of which can be potentially folded into Google+ to strengthen the network as a whole. We’ve already begun to see how Google is progressing with this strategy with the shift in Blogger and Picasa. Because Google already has so many features in place as standalone applications, expect Google+ to advance and update at a breakneck speed, while catering to users’ wants and input. When all in said and done I wouldn’t be surprised if Google+ overtakes Facebook in users.
Google has all the right features to shape a social networking titan and this was the perfect time to launch Google+.
