Google Plus or Google Minus?

New social media tools and platforms are constantly emerging. It is the task of the public relations professional to test these options and determine what best fits their specific needs. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat have certainly proven to be key players in the social media scene, but there is another option that, while once thought dead, should possibly be considered for public relations: Google+.

Google the company is an undeniable powerhouse of the internet. The verb form of the term "Google" is even found in the dictionary. It only made sense that the company ventured into social media. When Google+ was launched in 2011, there was a surge of interest in what was perceived as a potential rival to Facebook. However, that level of interest quickly diminished, leaving many to wonder if Google+ was dead-on-arrival.

Kim Speier, in her 2016 article "Google+: Worth It or a Waste of Time?" makes some interesting points regarding the place of Google+ in the social media landscape today and just what happened to put it in the somewhat confusing position it holds. An inherit problem with Google+ at launch was that it tried to be everything to everyone. It was information overload and not very user-friendly. Another shortcoming of Google+ at that time was that all registered Google account-holders had a profile automatically created for them. This inflated user statistics to false levels. While Google+ actually had more user profiles than Facebook, only 90% of those users were active. Due partially to its design and lack of intuitiveness, Google+ did not prove to be nearly as much of a rival to Facebook as the public expected. Speier points out, however, that being a rival to Facebook was never Google's true intention. Google+ was created to add a layer of social interactivity to the massive Google brand of products. While the public may not have realized Google's intention, the comparisons to Facebook were widespread and quite critical. Interest in Google+ quickly waned as a result.

Google, ever one to learn from their mistakes, listened to users and implemented changes to improve their platform. Google+ has recently began to focus on being less of a centralized location for social media which makes it less overwhelming to use. Likewise, they decided to unbundle some of their features including Google Photos and Hangouts, both of which are now separate applications that are available outside of a user's Google+ page. Google has refocused on making the actual Google+ page interface more about conversations and sharing based on mutual interests. The features of "Communities" and "Collections" (similar to Pinterest) facilitate this and are now key to the Google+ experience. To better promote this retooling of the platform, a relaunch called "New Google+" happened in November of 2015.

Google+ finds itself now at an interesting crossroads. The original version of Google+ is no more. They listened to their users and realigned the service while hopefully creating new interest. It is certainly a more relevant and user-friendly experience than it once was. As the active user-base grows, "Communities" and "Collections" could help spread brand awareness and allow for improved customer interaction. While Google+ does not enjoy the reach, popularity or reputation of Facebook, it does have a devoted audience that should not be overlooked. In my opinion, anything that helps build "Community" can and should be harnessed for public relations. If the audience wants to use Google+ for their social networking needs, it is our responsibility to be there with them. Public relations professionals should try to reach our audiences in the ways they want to be reached.