83 percent of Google+ users are inactive

[onehandle]

Now closing on its second month, the Google+ social networking platform has seen rapid growth — and lots of attention — in its short lifetime. But new research indicates that the lion’s share of Google+ users do not actually pitch in on the site very often, if at all. Here are some interesting tidbits from data compiled by Bime Analytics, which polled a voluntary sample of more than 10 million Google+ users:

- A silent majority exists — in a big way. The study found that a whopping 83 percent of Google+ users are currently classed as inactive. It bears mention, though, that other social networks have the same issue: A small portion of very active users, and a large silent majority of lurkers or just plain inactive accounts. For example, research indicates that 80 percent of Twitter users have Tweeted fewer than 10 lines, and 40 percent of users have never sent a single Tweet.

- Students are taking over. As of mid-August, the dominant occupation for Google+ users was “student.” That’s a big shift from the month prior, when the dominant occupation was “engineer.”

- It’s still a man’s world. The percentage of female users was 30 percent, a slight increase from the month prior when women made up 28 percent of Google+’s user base.

http://gigaom.com/2011/08/19/inactive-accounts-google-plus-infographic

[OneGrassRoot]

1. Honestly, I don't even "get" Google+

I'd like to understand the pros and cons of it, but there's so much conflicting information and opinions out there that I still don't get it.

I especially don't understand how people are using it for professional reasons.

Can anyone who is on Facebook and LinkedIn explain how Google+ fills any niche, or takes the place of either of those social networks?

:shrug:

[CJCRANE]

3. It looks easier to set up groups of different friends

on Google+

That's the thing I don't like about facebook, how all your friends/coworkers/relatives/acquaintances are all mixed together.

[OneGrassRoot]

4. So it's more focused or targeted networking with the "circles"? Gotcha. Thx. :) n/t

[Posteritatis]

11. Part of it is the "solution in search of a problem" aspect

A few friends and I who are fairly spread around geographically are working on a game and are finding it a useful way to collaborate on aspects of that, for instance; custom circle for the participants with discussion, documents, planning stuff, in-progress artwork, etc displayed inside.

Other people I know are just using it as Not Facebook because they dislike FB's practice or prefer G+'s interface

[onehandle]

6. It's trying to take on both. The Hubris of Google will fail.

People are too embedded in Facebook for personal, LinkedIn for professional, and Twitter for instant gratification.

Currently Google is begging celebrities to join and be high profile. I don't really care what 'Snooki' thinks.

[CJCRANE]

7. You're probably right but I hope not.

I don't like Facebook or LinkedIn but I'd like a space to share stuff with friends, family and acquaintances - just not all at the same time. That's why I really like the sound of the "Circles" feature on Google+

[Fearless]

9. Nothing that I would spend time each day using.

[lame54]

2. then who has been googling Santorum?

[SpiralHawk]

5. Frothy Freaks (R)

as one might well expect. Hey, 'whatever floats your froth,' as republicons say.

[dbonds]

8. It is not even out of beta yet and 25 million users.

I'm on g+ and if anything there is too many posts in my stream. I have to uncircle some that repost all the previous posts from yesterday, and others for any type of content I don't want to see. But there is no shortage of content. And it doesn't hurt that there are lots of celebrities you can interact with now. All of Chickenfoot is there and will hangout and chat with you, as well as preview their new songs. Many of the expected celebs, Ashton Kutcher, William Shatner, Felicia Day, Wil Wheaton, and so on are there also.

And every couple of days g+ is getting new features and fixing things that may be annoying (like recently they added a fix to allow comments to posts to be collapsible).

The best part of what it does that fb doesn't is circles. You don't have to friend someone and have them friend you back. You circle the people you want to listen to. Group together people into circles of like content. Then you can choose which one of those circles you want to view in your stream at any particular moment. You also can restrict your post to only be view-able by people in a specific circle or set of circles. And you have the ability to moderate your own posts.

[onehandle]

10. Facebook will catch back up with similar 'improvements.'

I'm not a fan of Facebook or Google, but I think Google+ is just a fad, mostly between hipsters who view themselves on the 'cutting edge' of tech. And the few celebrities that are on it were given carrots from Google.

Many of the leaders in the tech space have tried it and moved back to familiar territory.

I could be wrong, but Google has failed in social twice as I recall, while Facebook has thrived.

Facebook. Ick.

[dbonds]

12. I do think you may be wrong that fb will catch up...

fb is now going to differentiate itself even more. Zuck has even said he doesn't like the concept of the way circles work.

If you are not on g+, with a decent set of people in your circles, then you probably don't get it yet. If I had to compare it to anything it would be more akin to google reader than facebook. At least my stream is mostly an interesting flow of articles and news with some major names posting to it.

Google has failed 3 times if you count buzz, but before they were trying a google spin on an existing concept. In g+ they have evolved and merged google reader, facebook, and twitter into a new concept.

[Lisa0825]

13. I didn't finish signing up, since it wanted to force me to use

my real first and last name. A lot more people/companies/etc have my email address than I know personally. Maybe my concerns are unfounded, but I did not attach my first and last name publicly to my email address for a little bit of privacy, and I don't like that Google+ did not give me that option.