Sure, G+ has had a phenomenal run upto 25 million visitors, but the reason for its ramp up probably has more to do with FB's popularity than anything else. These are the top reasons why I believe G+'s ramp up has been so swift:
a) Family backing: Any product from the Google family gets a great deal of press and online viewer interest. Even their earlier Social Media expirement Buzz got off to a great start before fizzing out.
b) Facebook+Linkedin+twitter: Ironically the overwhelming popularity of the ruling troika of Social Media helped push user interest and thereby signup for Google+. Social media chatter was all about G+ when it launched.
c) Anti-incumbency: It is the first really big Social network launch in a long time...users tired of the existing networks flocked to G+.
But that's it the launch is done. We've all been on G+ and it's now time to take a call. For me personally and many of my network friends G+ just does not cut it. Here's why:
a) It's taken me five years to build my network on FB. I'm comfortable with the interactions there. My friends post their status updates, pictures, videos there. It is my primary medium for communicating with the majority of my friends. Despite the great start less than 10% of my friends have actually joined G+ so far. Of these hardly any post anything meaningful there. The most number of posts I see on G+ are about G+. My friends, and I, keep the best stuff for FB.
b) We hate, absolutely hate that fact that anyone can follow us. Yes, this is exactly what twitter allows, but it somehow feels way more invasive on G+.
c) We're not looking for an all-in-one social media platform. We like the specialization that comes with FB, linkedin and twitter. Personal stuff goes on FB, Linkedin is for my professional stuff and twitter is when I want to share with a wider audience. Putting it all together on one platform does not work for me.
d) What's new about G+? It's the same candy in a different wrapper. Even the flavor's the same. So why bother to change from a comfortable and familiar old one. I guess the fact that it is a me-too product is it's biggest failing. Theres' no major breakthrough or wow factor with G+. It just does the same stuff that FB does.
