Google Plus a Demerit?

December 9, 2011

The Harrod’s Creek goose read “Google+ Struggling to Remain Relevant.” The goose was surprised. His goslings have been paddling away on new functionality for the Mountain View kids’ social network. Google Plus, as we understand it, is Google 2012. The pre-plus Google is no more. So we pay close attention to what the “new” Google delivers in its “plus” modality.

InfoWorld, however, takes the view a seven year old has after a first visit to the dentist. Little wonder dentists are often faced with mean kids when the parents bring the child back for a six month check up and maybe a drilling session. Dentists often make enemies without doing much more than taking a look. Is Google+ or Google Plus the social equivalent of a dental procedure? We don’t think so, but the InfoWorld write up appears to revel in some Google+ (Google Plus) functional carries.

Let me highlight a fairly interesting comment from the InfoWorld write up:

As of now, Facebook boasts 1,000 times as many referrals as Google+. Web referrals alone don’t tell the whole story of how successful a site is, though they do indicate a level of user engagement. Plus, advertisers are more likely to sink dollars and resources into buying ads and setting up business pages on sites that demonstrably lead users to their own. Still, it would be useful to know, for example, how many active users Google+ has versus Facebook. However, Google has remained mum on that detail — a telling move, given the company’s purported philosophy of being open.

Not these are words that even a cut rate sentiment analysis system can score in the “negative semantics” zone.

This passage buries the needle in the red zone in my opinion:

Google+’s most recent attempt to generate traffic and increase buzz was its rollout of business pages, which from day one paled in comparison to Facebook’s business pages. In a recent Q & A about Google+ for business, Google revealed that features that arguably should have been implemented from the get-go are still being planned or merely considered. For example, support for multiple administrators will arrive by the end of the year. Analytics are coming “soon.”

Three observations:

First, I think that the argument advanced by Google that Google+ (Google Plus) is the new Google has annoyed some folks; perhaps the InfoWorld article writer? Perhaps relevance has gone out the window and Google+ (Google Plus) is the scape goat?

Second, the goose does not understand the “silver bullet” magic of social networks. They seem fraught with Lady Gaga type information and in an enterprise could be precursors to some executives donning orange jump suits and doing perp walks. If you are not in the law enforcement environment, you won’t understand this point, but it is clear enough to me.

Third, Google is trimming services and at the same time firing up giant new, almost irrelevant ones. I am unsure whether the YouTube Channels, the Amazon Prime initiative, or the changes in search results is the best example. What is clear is that the focus seems mushy and Google + (Google Plus) is a good example of a cupcake that needs more love in the kitchen.

Net net: InfoWorld may be expressing a broader sentiment. Aside; why am I writing Google+ (Google Plus)? Ever try searching for odd ball characters?

Stephen E Arnold, December 9, 2011

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Stephen E. Arnold monitors search, content processing, text mining and related topics from his high-tech nerve center in rural Kentucky. He tries to winnow the goose feathers from the giblets. He works with colleagues worldwide to make this Web log useful to those who want to go "beyond search". Contact him at sa [at] arnoldit.com. His Web site with additional information about search is arnoldit.com.