Google announced last fall that its social networking site was home to 400 million members with more than 100 million active monthly users. Despite these numbers, many people are apparently continuing to ignore Google+, a service that has been labeled a ghost town. Perhaps even more concerning is Google’s inability to win over brands and businesses that have instead turned to connect with customers on competing websites.
“The main reason we are more active on Facebook than Google+ is because that is where our customers and our target demographic are spending their time,” said Dave Gilboa, the co-founder of online eyewear company Warby Parker, said to Reuters.
Data from Nielsen Media Research revealed that in March the average U.S. Google+ user spent a mere 6 minutes and 47 seconds on the site, compared to more than 6 hours spent on Facebook. A Reuters survey found that of the 100 most valuable global brands in 2012, only 72 were on Google+ compared to 87 on Facebook. Roughly 40% of the brands that were on Google’s social network were not active, however.
“In my personal network, I have very few people who are actively using Google+,” said Dan Nguyen-Tan, vice president of sales and marketing for Public Bikes. “That could be a reason why I haven’t thought about it as an effective tool.”
Google claims that more than 100 brands have amassed over 1 million followers on Google+.
