The Internet world is abuzz with Google+ chatter. If you’ve been under a digital rock, Google+ is Google’s supposed Facebook killer — a social network that tries to improve upon everything that we all know, love and are used to.
“Supposed Facebook killer” might be a little forward, but Google is definitely fighting for market share in the social space. And while Facebook is the most obvious target, I think LinkedIn and the professional community is a more logical ambition.
First, we need to take a look at how Google+ is different from its contemporaries.
The unique change, at first glance, is the idea of “Circles.”
With Circles, Google makes the correct assumption that we all have different networks of people with whom we surround ourselves. I have friends, family and professional connections. Some people are in two of these circles, others are in just one. Some are in all three.
Because I can send messages and updates to specific circles, I don’t have to inundate my professional connections with pictures of my baby or tell my family every time my company launches a new website.
It just makes sense, which is what a good feature addition should do.
To be fair, Facebook allows you to do this to some degree, too, through its privacy settings.
The problem is, on Facebook you still only have one true network of friends.
To separate them, you have to navigate a backend settings layout that even makes nerds squirm. You have to think about it too much for it to actually be effective.
Google+ packages the privacy settings in a friendly manner, and that’s why Circles make all the difference in the world.
Back to LinkedIn. Why am I predicting that LinkedIn will be the first victim for Google+? Because one of the default Circles is “Professional Connections,” which is exactly what LinkedIn does.
The LinkedIn crowd is not primarily nerds who want to be on a social network all day long. They want to further their businesses and/or their careers through modern communication. They want to reach an audience.
If Google has the audience and the tools, LinkedIn will begin to atrophy.
Think about it this way. If you can reach 10 people via LinkedIn or 100 people via Google+, which one will you use for your business?
As Microsoft will tell you, it is very, very, very difficult to compete against Google. Even with its recent successful IPO, LinkedIn will be hard-pressed to keep the attacking Google at bay.
Google+ is not without its flaws, however. First of all, because it’s new and currently invitation only, the audience isn’t there yet. What’s a social network without people?
Secondly, people are so used to Facebook that it will be difficult to pull those users away. Facebook is a social networking brand, just as Google is a search brand.
Don’t forget, though, that the same was said about MySpace a few years back.
MySpace crumbled under the pressure of Facebook’s skyrocketing popularity, and it will be interesting to see whether that repeats itself here.
I don’t think it’s going to be as cut and dry as last time, but it’s not off the table either.
If you’ve already started using Google+, I’d be happy to be in your circle. See you on the Internet.
Jesse Bushkar is the CEO of Sysconn New Media Inc. He can be contacted at 912-356-9920 or firstname.lastname@example.org.