Sending shock waves through the Social Media world, Google announced Monday that it is killing off Google+, their Social Networking site.
Google+ was widely regarded as one of Google’s biggest flops. Though Google+ still had active users and groups it was primarily used by business professionals and hobbyists.
The Decision to End It All
After completing a review of its platform, Google decided to shut down the site.
“This review crystallized what we’ve known for a while: that while our engineering teams have put a lot of effort and dedication into building Google+ over the years, it has not achieved broad consumer or developer adoption, and has seen limited user interaction with apps,” Google said in a statement.
While businesses took advantage of the platform for its SEO potential, people never really flocked to the Social Site to interact with others as they do on Twitter or Facebook.
Its user base was small, and engagement was low, users spent less than 5 seconds in Google+.
Data Breach
One of the factors contributing to the demise of Google+ was a significant data breach that occurred 7 months ago. The private data of up to 500,000 Google accounts was exposed. Google kept the breach quiet for 7 months.
The data breach has become a convenient excuse to shutter the Social Network that never really took off in the Social world.
What Does it Mean for Business
There are may users who found the site beneficial to their company. Google has announced they “will be “launching new features purpose-built for businesses. We will share more information in the coming days.”
Winding Down Before Shutting Down
To give people the ability to migrate and/or download their data, the shutdown will take place in 10 months. Giving users ample time to get their accounts closed out. Google will be providing additional information over the coming months.