TALK BACK: Will Google+ Displace Facebook?
Facebook and Google+ are in the midst of the great social race. They’re gobbling up small startups that will enhance their offerings (such as facial- and voice-recognition software) as the latest Google offering looks to take its one-time target out for good.
Heck, Facebook was obviously so threatened by Google+ that it went out and tried to surreptitiously smear its newest, biggest competitor since Myspace with a plan that backfired with embarrassing results. Judging by the ovation Google+ was met with, Facebook’s concerns were reasonable.
Now, we’ll watch over the next 24 months as each of these Internet titans slug it out for the title of most dominant social network. The brewing brouhaha also leaves plenty of questions, and that’s where you come in, dear readers: Who will win? And, is the title of “top social network” a permanent role, or one that is bound to shift every few years to the “next big thing?” Also, what is the impact that will be felt by businesses dependent on Facebook’s and Google’s reach for their advertising and subscription revenue — who will be winners and losers?
Gareth Wong said on July 26, 2011
As promised to @laragon /Lawrence, I will comment to one of the PeHub post soon… hope this fulfils my promise.
I think to adopt the Buddhism motto, “everything is meaningless” could be a good approach, .. let me explain:
especially in the online/startup world (hight capital expenditure world of telecommunication is different), due to their nature, even likes of google, facebook and even microsoft could change their business/direction/products/T&Cs on a drop of a hat… what does that mean to users and or loyalty??
as the Google+ might just be the favourite new baby daughter now (& google labs!?) how soon would the public sentiment/expectation change (and boy they do!) and then the new service becomes the ugly sister that no one want to know?
Therefore, unless and until one of these system/product(s) become so integrated with our OFFLINE lives that we cannot live without them (literally), then, that product/services would be the winner..
As otherwise, everything is meaningless.. as the barrier to entry is not that high (in the online world), loyalty is limited (especially for startups or even subsidiaries of big corporates, Apple excluded), and there will ALWAYS be the next favourite daughter of the month..
Ultimately, winner probably exhibit all of the following:
1.) when the taxi /cab drivers are talking about the product, NOT ONLY as a fad but USING such service actively/daily
2.) service move closer to the money/cash flow (guess google checkout is one? more powerful than buying virtual goods via facebook for example, yes hardcore gaming live or die by their virtual lives but that is considered as ‘addiction’ which is typically single % of target audience)
3.) networking effect sets in that target NOT only online communities but also rest of the population, including the old ladies in the mall /local markets (who probably do not yet use internet but has a mobile only..)
but then again, thats only from my tinted boring glasses (my typical medium to long term view..), as I don’t look at short term sadly, a good example, I observe each start-up a year before I use them (blogger.com , twitter etc.) .. not sure if I should be proud to say that I joined facebook using my business school email address before the free for all now.. (I did wait!)
Based on my above thought process then, I would probably bet on Google+ though (despite i do not use it yet!)
@GarethWong
Jonathan Marino said on July 27, 2011
Google isn’t going to displace Facebook. Google is about to displace EVERYTHING. First, Google did away with the phone book and a few years down the road, it will do away with the entire transportation, shipping and logistics system as we know it (http://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/archive/2011/August/Pages/Army,CarMakersPushAheadWithDriverlessVehicleResearch.aspx). It just makes sense to try and take out Facebook along the way. The dominant search site’s pounce at the social web provides Google with an opportunity to tap into its e-mail user base that developed years before Zuckerberg could ensnare them into Facebook, as well. Thanks to Microsoft’s Skype deal, Google will have to fight to incorporate a video chat that satisfies users of each of Google+’s “circles”–one privacy feature that trumps anything Facebook has to offer. Each company has massive advantages the other lacks.
Because there exists no protocol or formal legislation on products like facial or voice recognition technology, both Google and Facebook will “opt-in” individuals to a yet-unexplained database where they can be tracked or monitored. If companies dependent on their social scale want to avoid a potential “News Corp. moment,” they should clarify to users how their individual data characteristics will be processed, stored and used. Both of these companies have so much money, so much development talent in their stable and so much existing clout it is, in fact, difficult to imagine either being totally displaced. However, what could prove to be the tipping point in the social web dominance slugfest is whether users feel their personal information is being manipulated against them.
Larry said on July 28, 2011
i looked at my Google Analytics stats this week and 15% of the social media traffic came from google+. That’s a third of what facebook was driving and Google+ is just 1 week old: http://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2011/07/26/google-plus-vs-facebook-vs-twitter-vs-linkedin
Jonathan Marino said on July 28, 2011
I suppose we could have simply settled this by installing the “+1″ button on this page, and seeing whether we got more “Likes” or +1s.
George said on July 30, 2011
Google+ is great. I don’t think it will displace Facebook but will have a fair impact much like twitter.
automobilines kedutes said on July 31, 2011
I suppose we could have simply settled this by installing the “+1″ button on this page, and seeing whether we got more “Likes†or +1s.