While I was at SXSW last week, I listened in on a panel about Google Plus for brands at Google Village. (For those unfamiliar, Google rented out a bunch of houses near the Austin Convention Center. They hosted their own panels and events during SXSW interactive). This panel consisted of several G+ community managers pointing out G+ features, and then a Q&A with panelists from Samsung, The Muppets/Disney,a musician, etc.) A couple of examples included the Muppets guy describing their partnership with G+ to launch the movie to the musician, who grew her presence organically in large part by hosting live concerts on G+ hangout.
Hangouts are by far G+ standout success. It’s an amazing video chat & group collaboration tool, with built-in exclusivity features (10 person max). Yet, I would argue that Google is completely missing the mark with its marketing. Hangouts are a separate product and not just a tag-along neat feature of G+.
There’s no real incentive for people to be on G+. Yes, you could make a small case for SEO benefits. But as a social network, most people aren’t on G+ yet. They are on Facebook. Maybe, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram etc. So why spend a lot of time on a social site where your friends aren’t even there?
On the other hand, a lot more people have been in a Hangout and even more so, know of the feature. It’s more like a more advanced version of Skype- in the sense where it’s planned and less spur of the moment. It may be a catch up chat with a few friends or family members, working on a project or discussing a news story. The only real thing tying it to G+ is the share functionality and that it shows up on the person’s G+ profile. Yes, you can request to join a live hangout, but I’ll venture off and say that most people don’t unless it’s a live concert.
Lastly, Google is so focused on trying to make G+ a “success” (since they have had two buzzkills- with Google Wave and Buzz) that they are losing sight of their roots. They are fundamentally a search company, and have spent years trying to make the Web better. But now, they seem to be throwing tons of money at a wall hoping it sticks and people magically flock to G+. All the advertising dollars in the world can raise awareness about G+. Sure, they can even find ways to get people to create an account. But, no amount of money can force people to maintain an active presence there.
And, I’ll leave you with my favorite ad. The Muppets rocking out in a G+ Hangout. What’s not to love?
