What Is Google Plus?

Source: Google Plus

Google+ (Also can be written as Google Plus; sometimes referred as G+) was a social network owned and operated by Google. The network was launched on June 28, 2011, in an attempt to challenge other social networks, linking other Google products like Google Drive, Blogger and YouTube. The service, Google’s fourth foray into social networking, experienced strong growth in its initial years, although usage statistics varied, depending on how the service was defined. Three Google executives oversaw the service, which underwent substantial changes that led to a redesign in November 2015.

Due to low user engagement and disclosed software design flaws that potentially allowed outside developers access to personal information of its users,[4] the Google+ developer API was discontinued on March 7, 2019, and Google+ was shut down for business and personal use on April 2, 2019.[5] Google+ continued to be available as “Google+ for G Suite”, later rebranded as “Google Currents”.[6]

Now that Google+ is available to the public, there is no excuse for anyone not to be using it! Sure you may feel that you just don’t need it, but keep in mind that Google+ is not just another social network. It is the social network endorsed by the leading search engine, and one that is only growing in popularity. If you ever wondered why you should be using Google+, here are just a few good reasons.

Google+ (thus far) doesn’t allow people to auto-update from other networks. This means that when you see an update on Google+, someone is actually on Google+ making that update.

Engagement on Google+ status updates seems to be higher than engagement on Facebook and Twitter updates (possibly because people are actually on Google+ and not updating it from other programs).

If Google is going to incorporate social signals into their search algorithm, they will more than likely give precedence to updates and sharing within their own social network.

One important thing to note before we begin. Google+ is currently only allowing profiles for people. This means you cannot set up a profile for your business or use keywords instead of a name. Business profiles are coming (the buzz is that they will be available sometime this year), so the best thing you can do to prepare for them is to get to know the Google+ environment using a personally branded profile. The following guide will help you establish your personal brand on Google+.

Frequently Asked Questions About The Google+ Shutdown

Why Shut Down Google+ For Consumers?

Given the challenges in creating and maintaining a successful Google+ that meets our consumer users’ expectations, we decided to sunset the consumer version of Google+. We’re committed to focusing on our enterprise efforts, and will be launching new features purpose-built for businesses. Read the announcement.