Google Plus:Tom

Google+

Some have called it a desolate wasteland where no human being is in sight for miles and miles. But if you try a little harder, you will find an oasis in the middle of nowhere where not only the community is strongly bonded, but thriving and growing. I am an active part of that network so I can say with some authority that it is definitely not dead. Critics have dismissed it as another failure for Google in the social front. But this time the search giant is sticking to its guns and putting the right efforts to make sure that we have a strong alternative to Facebook, should we choose to abandon it someday.

Facebook's Thorny Path: Annoyances, Design Changes, and Privacy Concerns

If you ask me, why am I on Facebook? The only answer I have is because everyone is there. Not because the product is so great. Facebook continues to annoy its users with design changes and thrusting features on users that nobody asked for. The new chat feature and the timeline comes to the mind right away. Everybody hates it, and there is no option to go back to the good old days. I resisted it for a very long time to switch to the timeline. But then Facebook threatened, that we will make you switch to the timeline automatically if I do not comply. Also Facebook's privacy terms are a bit shady, which critics have pointed out on numerous occasions. But for now it’s Facebook’s way or the highway. So much for consumer choice.

Google+: A Strategic Bet on the Future of Social Networking

Google is betting on that day, when this annoyance reaches critical mass and angry users start quitting Facebook in hordes. Google wants to be ready to embrace them with open arms when such a day arrives. So for the time being, Google is just sticking to reminding users that Google+ does exists. Take a look at the Google+ commercial below.

Admit it, you got goosebumps.

Benedict ”Sherlock” Cumberbatch, provides the soul stirring narration for Shakespeare’s ” The Seven Ages of Man”as he chronicles the life of Tom; from a tiny bed wetting toddler to a grandpa, while the background score of the movie Castaway slowly tugs at our heartstrings. Google has stuck to its tried and tested formula of churning out ads, that have human experiences at the center ably assisted by Google in turning those experiences into a lifetime memory. How effective the advert is in turning casual users to Google+ faithfuls only time will tell. The point of advertising and brand building is not to show awesome short term sales, but to turn customers into brand loyalists. And like I pointed out above, Google already has a strong product and its counting on Facebook to make mistakes in the near future. It's time will surely come.

Google+ is the social network we deserve, but not the one we need right now.