Google Plus to Overtake Facebook: Prediction or Fiction?
Marketers across the web are starting to ask a big question. Is Google Plus (G+) the future of social media? Opinions are split. Let’s begin by taking a look at what the facts say. In 2013, Social Media Today published an article starting that Google Plus (G+) was the “one (social media platform) to watch.” While Facebook and Twitter had already established themselves as “go to” social media brands, G+ appeared to be a wild card in the mix as sources across the Internet contemplated just what Google’s social media experiment would accomplish. Mashable pointed out that, according to research, although Google+ boasts 20 million users or more, they weren’t spending a lot of time on the site. Social Media Today went onto say, “It’s all well and good having masses of members, but it means nothing if they are hardly using the network.” The Google Plus To Facebook Comparison The question is: can we accurately compare Facebook to G+? It’s important to note that the G+ platform is different from the platforms of Facebook and Twitter. According to Social Media Today, the G+ platform is a “different type of platform, with a different target audience.” As such, a fine line exists between social media made for socializing and social media made for business. The biggest Google Plus benefits are for the business users because this is the target audience. It isn’t your typical feed, where you see what type of cookies your sister baked and when. It instead allows you to connect powerfully with a world that could return your ROI—customers, employees, colleagues and peers. AND friends. (We’ll put them last. Not really, but you get the idea!) Express Writers has seen a huge impact from Google Plus, and it’s the platform type that makes all the difference. We recently connected with Rand Fishkin in a Google Hangout. This wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for the existence of G+. Will Google Plus overtake Facebook? One argument, extrapolated from the Social Media Today article we referenced at the outset, is that one cannot truly overtake the other because of the platform differences: Facebook is an avenue for joking with your customers and running competitions or giveaway. It’s a place to build a “cult following.” Twitter is prime real estate for getting personal and talking directly to your customers. G+ is a professional landscape, geared toward connecting businesses and professionals with each other, and opening the door to engaging with individuals outside of your usual social circles. It’s like comparing apples to oranges. But statistically, Google Plus just might have a shot at trumping Facebook. Facebook’s Response to a G+ Social Media Takeover Talk about Google’s social media experiment overtaking Facebook goes all the way back to 2010. Facebook published an interesting response to the question, “Are you worried Google will overtake Facebook?” In essence, Facebook pointed out that although Google had repeatedly attempted to build a viable social network, they were continually unsuccessful. However, since the publication of this response, we’ve seen Google Plus grow in leaps and bounds. As of June 2013, G+ turned 2 years old. And according to Marketing Land, G+ “has seen both solid growth and criticism during these years.” G+ managed to hit 135 million “in stream” users, and although it trails behind the well-established Facebook network, it is undeniably growing and growing substantially. G+ To Overtake Facebook by 2016? As Google Plus turned 2 years old, a new study hit with a shocking prediction. Although the two platforms can be dramatically different in terms of target audience and content, a new study predicts a G+ takeover of Facebook by 2016. According to Real Wire, sharing of online content by Google+ users “is set to surpass sharing by Facebook users by February 2016 according to a new US study from search and social analytics specialist, Searchmetrics.” According to the latest data published by eMarketer, Facebook is the most popular social network. Approximately 51 percent of global Internet users log into Facebook at least once per month. With 26 percent of Internet users’ worldwide, logging into G+, Google comes in second! There’s no doubt that with each passing year Google grows stronger and bigger. But is it enough to overtake the current social media giant? According to the case study reviewed by Real Wire, “Facebook is growing from its extremely large base to something larger, and is therefore slower.” Although the blue mega network is continually growing, which is remarkable, the “data shows Google+ can catch it if growth rates for sharing activity continue as they are.” As of 2013, “the absolute number of shares for Facebook was over 29 billion compared with just over 2 billion plus ones for Google+.” The News as Of 2014 In February of 2014, Hot Hardware published an update on Google Plus statistics, revealing that Google+ now has over 1 billion users and is building to overtake Facebook. Popular opinion has it that G+ is a ghost town, hardly frequented by members. Facebook, on the other hand, seems to be a constant buzz of activity. Just why do people think of Google Plus as a ghost town? It’s primarily due to the platform and target audience difference. For folks who prefer the lighthearted interaction of who’s baking what and when, Facebook will immediately appear much more active than G+. But for businesses and professionals, G+ is bustling with professional activity promoting growth and connectivity with allies and the competition. As of February 2014, Google Plus houses over 1 billion registered users. Facebook has 1.19 billion. Says Hot Hardware, “It’s true that Google+’s stats are somewhat artificially inflated due to Google integrating accounts for its various services. However, Courtney-Brown [at SiteProNews] says over 540 million Google+ users visit their profiles every month to share photos, update their statuses, post comments, and more. And that +1 button? It’s being clicked over 5 billion times a day across the web.” Many of G+’s … Read more
