Google+ Is Not Dead
But it does have an expiration date.
I’m just going to say it, because we’re all thinking it. Google+ is a failure.
This is no diss to Google at all. They are an amazing company, and my current pick for the best tech company in the world. But Google+ is something that is, simply, outside of their DNA. They tried to copy what they observed, and it was ill-fated.
Now, I still use it. That’s right. I use it because there is still an audience for me there. I find it to still be a relevant platform for me to engage on. There is a small niche group of people that I respect immensely who have been early adopters of Google+ since the start, and I want to make sure I am meeting them on the platform they have chosen to be on. It’s a great community. And let’s not forget that most “social networks” are not really that social any more. They are content distribution networks. Google+ has done this extremely well with YouTube, so I’ll continue to distribute my content there, especially as it remains so native to YouTube.
So, it’s a loss. It’s a loss for Google. But…it still has value. And that’s something that I want everyone to pay attention to: nothing is ever dead till it straight up does not exist any more. I talk about email open rates being down, but it’s far from dead. In fact right now I’d say email is at the top of my marketing strategy.
It’s a sliding scale, and even though G+ isn’t at the top, there is still value to be gained. That’s why it merits the minimal time it takes for me to post. Myspace no longer brings that to me, but it definitely did in 2009 and 2010 with WineLibraryTV.
Bottom line: it’s not dead.
But it does have an expiration date.
Ashton Kutcher asked me this question on the #AskGaryVee Show: “Which social media platform will be extinct in five years?”. And my answer was, in fact, Google+. It’s owned by a big conglomerate, and Google has shown everyone that they have the enormous ability to cut bait if something isn’t working. They aren’t afraid. No matter how big something is, they have no problem ending it. Their recent decision with Google Glass points to this exactly. That’s why I’m confident in saying that the next five years may see a loss of Google+.
But for now, I want everyone to remember the lesson I am giving here. You don’t give up on anything if you have an audience there. Don’t abandon it. If it exists and there is value for you in it, use it. It’s worth your time. It builds equity, communities, and lifelong customers. I promise.
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