Google has been pushing for Google+ to become a mainstream social network for so long that it seemed marketers would have no choice but to get on board and share custom content on the platform. In light of Google+ Head Vic Gundotra’s departure from the company, some suspect the network’s future could be drastically altered.
TechCrunch contributors Alexia Tsotsis and Matthew Panzarino wrote that sources are saying Google has been migrating some teams away from Google+ to other projects, some that are focused on Android. The speculation is that all of the forced integrations with Google+ have jeopardized – rather than strengthened – the network’s performance.
However, Larry Page gives no indication this is the case. To the contrary, he made a statement of confidence about Google+’s future in a Post on Gundotra’s departure: “I really enjoy using Google+ on a daily basis … [and] we’ll continue working hard to build great new experiences for the ever increasing number of Google+ fans.”
That’s not to say the road ahead will be smooth for the search engine-owned network.
“[Gundotra] built Google+ from nothing. There are few people with the courage and ability to start something like that.” – Larry Page.
Page also addressed how critical Gundotra has been to the company’s development, “You cut your teeth on our mobile apps and developer relations, turning our disparate efforts into something great … Then you built Google+ from nothing. There are few people with the courage and ability to start something like that.”
If Google were to stop finding new ways to get users logged into Google+, would the platform fall apart? There’s a population of Google+ advocates who find the platform more appealing than others because conversations are so focused, and marketers often use the network to take advantage of its SEO benefits. Thus, it’s unlikely Google+ is going anywhere just yet – perhaps to the dismay of G+ dissenters.
