The time when Google introduced Google Plus in 2011 it was predicted to be a strong contender to Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.  It had everything to become the great social media platform. But just in few years Google shut it down. There were few things that went extremely wrong? Let’s see the few major reasons why Google Plus failed and what upcoming businesses can learn from it.

Lack of Clear Identity

One of the biggest reasons for Google Plus’s failure was its cluttered purpose. It was launched as a blend of all social networking, photo sharing and group discussions but it never cleared that what made it different from all other platform. Users were confused and were not able to understand that why they should leave Facebook or Twitter to join Google Plus. Without a clear identity and structure, it became difficult for people to connect emotionally with the platform.

Forced Integration with Other Google Services

Google tried its best to grow Google Plus by merging it with YouTube, Gmail and Google Search. It was mandatory for users to create a Google Plus profile to comment on YouTube videos or use other Google features. Instead this  frustrated users instead of attracting them. All these features created a negative impression about the platform.

Poor User Engagement

Million of people signed up but mostly because of services but among all very less were active . Google Plus failed to build real conversations and communities because users never found a reasons to return daily. The lack of interaction features and low engagement made the platform feel empty.

Complicated Design and Features

Few features were introduced by the Google Plus like Circles, Hangouts and Communities but the interface was not user-friendly. Rater than simplifying social networking Google Plus made it more difficult pushing users away from the platform.

Strong Competition from Other Platforms

The time when Google Plus was launched many platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter were already well-settled. These platforms continuously adapted to the need of users but on the other hand Google Plus failed to establish fast enough. The market was already saturated, and users didn’t find a single reason to switch.

Privacy and Data Issues

In 2018, data got violated which affected over 500,000 users which severely damaged the platform’s reputation and created trust issues among users. This incident forced Google to finally shut down Google Plus for it’s users.

The failure of Google Plus teaches very essential lesson: a strong brand name cannot promise success. Without a user-focused design, proper strategy and a clear version even a tech giant can fall short.