Curatti Social Media Recap #5

We’re in the final quarter of 2014, which means there are less than 90 days until the New Year and the celebration of a new year
on its way. 2014 has been yet another banner year for social media, digital marketing, and the era of curation as the companies surrounding the trend make waves. In a 10 article series, we are counting down the events of the year and looking at how each of these events presents a key and critical takeaway for what matters in marketing, and more. In the 6th article of this series, we explore the fall of Google+ and the rise of new social networks and ask the question — can they survive?

In the summer of 2011, Google launched a social network to compete with Facebook called Google Plus, or more fondly referred to as Google+. To many marketers this was an inflection point – social media would change forever they said and Facebook should watch its back. For many others, the creation of Google+ ultimately meant that they were going to migrate over and leave their Facebook days behind.

Instead of being the new social network to rule them all however, Google+ became the butt of jokes as it became apparent that the only people who used the social network were Google employees and social media early adopters. As the social network languished, the product itself became a diminished part of Google’s strategy, even as the search giant wanted to force everyone to login to YouTube with their Google+ name to much backlash. In April of this year, the first nail in the coffin was set, as Vic Gundotra who created the platform and was SVP of Social ultimately left the company, ending a very messy saga. Follow-up words have been especially harsh as former employees who worked on Google+ have indicated the platform has lost its way. For the casual observer who doesn’t really know what is going on, its honestly too difficult and more of a wait-and-see game.

In the meantime, the social media landscape continues to evolve with the rise of Tsu and Ello, the new kids on the block which promise a fresh approach to social media not seen since the days Facebook and Twitter came into vogue. Ello is the social network that promises not to use algorithms to filter out the content that your contacts post while Tsu promises to share advertising revenue with you as you create content, adding value to the product as a whole, and both represent the new wave of social networking that seeks to put the person in charge, more than ever.

From Too Many Networks To Two More

The feedback on Tsu and Ello have been in the middle of the road. Like the early adopters of Google+ who championed it so much, those same folks are on Ello and Tsu as well hanging out and building the platform before the everyday person gets there. In 2014 heading into early 2015, it’s not a question of whether we are in a social media era — that as much is true, but rather if the everyday user can afford to use another social network on top of what already exists — LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, to name a small few. For business owners who already starve for time, adding two new social networks that guarantee very little means a new toy in the technology chest, but not much more as far as revenues are concerned.

The Curatti Takeaway

We don’t know what will happen to Google+, or for that fact Ello or Tsu as the calendar changes to the new year. Social media is an ever-changing phenomenon and for business readers of this website, the important takeaway that we have always championed is to stay focused on what matters and that’s building a brand towards revenue. Do you need the promise of Tsu? The non-filtered essence of Ello? Or the uncertainty of Google+? For all three the answers can swing any way you want them to, but the main takeaway for 2014 and 2015 is that there will always be new shiny toys beckoning for your attention, and grabbing the short-lived attentions of technology blogs and mainstream news networks.

It’s up to you to make the decision as to whether the distraction is worth it to you too.

 

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http://www.boyddigital.co.uk/social-media/donts-donts-social-media-strategy/