Google+ Is More Popular Than You Think

Andy Chalk

One Flag, One Fleet, One Cat
Nov 12, 2002
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Google+ Is More Popular Than You Think


With 343 million active users, Google+ has surpassed Twitter and is now second only to Facebook on the social networking scene.

Remember Google+? It came out to much fanfare a couple of years ago but turned out to be little more than a second-rate Facebook and quickly crashed, burned and was forgotten, consigned to the dustbin of digital history alongside FidoNet, Friendster and the blink tag. Right?

No, actually. It turns out that despite the assumptions of literally everyone I've talked to about it (which, I must admit, is four people), Google+ has actually built up a significant user base and is now second only to Facebook in terms of active users. A Global Web Index report says that roughly 25 percent of global internet users use Google+, adding up to roughly 343 million active users; that puts it well ahead of Twitter and YouTube, each of which draws 21 percent of the internet with a little under 300 million active users.

Twitter actually led the way in growth between the second and fourth quarters of 2012, increasing its number of active users by 40 percent, but Google+ is up there as well, with a growth rate of 27 percent. And despite concerns about "Facebook fatique," the world's most popular social network is still growing at a rapid clip, claiming a 33 percent increase in active users.

Smaller, regional social networks, particularly those in Asia like Mixi, Sina Weibo and Ren Ren, have seen significant losses over the same period, presumably victimized by the ongoing popularity of the big boys. But Google+ making a serious bid for the title, or at least the number-one contendership? I did not see that coming.

Source: phoneArena.com [http://www.phonearena.com/news/Google-surpasses-Twitter-to-take-number-2-social-network-after-Facebook_id39150#3-Winners-and-losers]


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dakkster

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Aug 22, 2011
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I highly doubt that 343 million are active users. My impression based on the activity I see among my friends and random browsing is that a lot of people have an account, but hardly anyone uses it.
 

thesilentman

What this
Jun 14, 2012
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I'd expect this to be on Yahoo or something. Are we having a slow news week, guys? I don't use Facebook (okay, maybe that one time) or Google+, but competition is always a good thing, I guess.
 

BrotherRool

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Oct 31, 2008
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This is because Google forces anyone who has a Youtube account or Google account to have a Google+ account.

I've never willing touched the site and I imagine I count as an 'active' user, because all my youtube settings and comments get sent to Google+

It has nothing to do with the success of the social network =D

dakkster said:
I highly doubt that 343 million are active users. My impression based on the activity I see among my friends and random browsing is that a lot of people have an account, but hardly anyone uses it.
^Is why
 

koga88

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May 19, 2009
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What exactly do they consider active? Like people who have an account and never look at it or accidentally press one of those G+1 buttons? Or are they counting the youtube accounts that usually end up tied into their Google accounts because literally no one I know even bothers to look at their G+ accounts.
 

Covarr

PS Thanks
May 29, 2009
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I have a Google+ widget on my phone. I rarely look at it, and almost never post, but it's there and loading, so I'm sure that counts as an "active user". But even with people like me, I doubt they'd get 343 Industries million active users unless they were padding their numbers with users of other connected Google services.

P.S. Thanks
 

axlryder

victim of VR
Jul 29, 2011
1,862
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Doesn't it sign you up almost automatically with youtube accounts and such? If that's the case, I imagine there are a few hundred million people floating around with an account and don't even know it.
 

Mouse_Crouse

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Apr 28, 2010
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BrotherRool said:
This is because Google forces anyone who has a Youtube account or Google account to have a Google+ account.

I've never willing touched the site and I imagine I count as an 'active' user, because all my youtube settings and comments get sent to Google+

It has nothing to do with the success of the social network =D
This so hard.
I have an account because I upload to Youtube occasionally. Have NEVER used Google+. I too guarantee they are counting me.
 

DigitalSushi

a gallardo? fine, I'll take it.
Dec 24, 2008
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Mouse_Crouse said:
BrotherRool said:
This is because Google forces anyone who has a Youtube account or Google account to have a Google+ account.

I've never willing touched the site and I imagine I count as an 'active' user, because all my youtube settings and comments get sent to Google+

It has nothing to do with the success of the social network =D
This so hard.
I have an account because I upload to Youtube occasionally. Have NEVER used Google+. I too guarantee they are counting me.
I was basically going to say the same thing, Whenever I log into youtube I'm shown as active on Google+

I get the feeling that Google are going to position Google+ as the new Youtube where you upload all your vids and Youtube will be turned into a Hulu/netflix type service, just a feeling I got.

Oh and Facebook is going to buy out Opera Browser too.
 

gigastar

Insert one-liner here.
Sep 13, 2010
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Im reminded of...



I dont really know what else to say to avoid a low-content indictment, so i added this sentence.
 

Treblaine

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Jul 25, 2008
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It's not as good as facebook, on the other hand it isn't as bad as facebook... which overall makes it preferable, only by default.
 

uncanny474

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Jan 20, 2011
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Part of that is probably their child groups, like Gmail and Youtube.

Another significant part is probably Google Hangouts, which is the single coolest thing to come out of Google+ or possibly anything ever.
 

AstylahAthrys

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Apr 7, 2010
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I, for one, actually do use Google+ on a regular basis. It's slow, but my family dynamic had become so strained through Facebook that a few of us silently migrated over to Google+ to avoid the drama. Now I get some news and family updates through the site, and I like it a lot more. It's quieter, not filled to the brim with game requests, and lacks drama queens from high school.
 

Longstreet

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Jun 16, 2012
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Only reason i got G+ is because i have a youtube account and a Gmail account.

Sooooo, not really surprised they got so many members, half the bloody internet uses either Youtube, Gmail or both.

Now, what is interesting to know, is how many people ACTIVELY use it. And also minus Google hangout uses please.

Oh and does anyone know how to UN link your youtube account from your G+ account, so that you can delete the G+ one? Or is that not possible at all?
 

teqrevisited

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Mar 17, 2010
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I think it forced me to make one because I use youtube. Other than that I have no idea what it does and don't really want anything to do with it anyway. All I want is an option to get rid of that black bar at the top of the search page.
 

An Ceannaire

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Mar 5, 2012
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uncanny474 said:
Part of that is probably their child groups, like Gmail and Youtube.

Another significant part is probably Google Hangouts, which is the single coolest thing to come out of Google+ or possibly anything ever.
What exactly is Google Hangouts? I've heard people talking about it, but I have no idea what it is.

OT: I for one accidently signed up to Google+ during one of the more recent Gmail updates. I doubt I'm the only one in that boat. Any of my activity is based solely on my Youtube or Gmail account usage.
 

Elate

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Nov 21, 2010
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Longstreet said:
Only reason i got G+ is because i have a youtube account and a Gmail account.

Sooooo, not really surprised they got so many members, half the bloody internet uses either Youtube, Gmail or both.

Now, what is interesting to know, is how many people ACTIVELY use it. And also minus Google hangout uses please.

Oh and does anyone know how to UN link your youtube account from your G+ account, so that you can delete the G+ one? Or is that not possible at all?
I don't think that's possible, I know I tried many, many times. They basically force you to have both now, even on sign up.
 

Longstreet

New member
Jun 16, 2012
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Elate said:
Longstreet said:
Only reason i got G+ is because i have a youtube account and a Gmail account.

Sooooo, not really surprised they got so many members, half the bloody internet uses either Youtube, Gmail or both.

Now, what is interesting to know, is how many people ACTIVELY use it. And also minus Google hangout uses please.

Oh and does anyone know how to UN link your youtube account from your G+ account, so that you can delete the G+ one? Or is that not possible at all?
I don't think that's possible, I know I tried many, many times. They basically force you to have both now, even on sign up.
Probably EVERYONE tried to delete it.

If i remember correctly, initially only 40k or so people signed up with it, so they probably implemented that then to not seem like a complete screw up.

Instead they just come off as annoying.

An Ceannaire said:
uncanny474 said:
Part of that is probably their child groups, like Gmail and Youtube.

Another significant part is probably Google Hangouts, which is the single coolest thing to come out of Google+ or possibly anything ever.
What exactly is Google Hangouts? I've heard people talking about it, but I have no idea what it is.

OT: I for one accidently signed up to Google+ during one of the more recent Gmail updates. I doubt I'm the only one in that boat. Any of my activity is based solely on my Youtube or Gmail account usage.
Think Skype but with google, and apparently a lot more secure. Also, you can have quite a few people on it.