Google+ is gaining momentum. Just launched in September 2011, Google+ has 40 million users. This might not seem like much compared to Facebook’s 800 million plus users, but Facebook has had more than 7 years of lead time to perfect its system.
Just this week Google+ announced improvements on its blog.
Never Miss an Important Post
Google+ is ensuring posts from close family and friends do not get lost in the clutter.
When viewing the stream for a particular circle, you’ll now see a slider at the top that lets you adjust how posts from that circle should be blended into the main stream. That way you’ll never miss a post from that special someone, and you can tweak these settings to form your own “perfect stream.”
Stay Up to Date Faster
It’s now easier to see what is new and interesting.
We now have easy-to-read “sneak previews” that immediately present what’s new and why you might care. We’ve polished these notifications up and made a few other meaningful improvements too, including the ability to see the +1’s and shares your posts have received since you last checked.
Simpler for Brands to Manage & Track Results
Google+ is not seeing its only customer as consumers. It is making accounts easier for brands to manage and track.
Now 50 employees can log in as the administrator. A new notification “flow” will ensure managers stay on top of what is new, allowing brands to stay involved in page conversations.
Also, brands can now get an accurate count of how many people interacted on their page, either by +1’ing it or being added to a circle.
Improved Photos
It’s a good thing Google+ has spent some time updating its photo Lightbox. After all, social media sites are the new photo albums.
Viewing a photo in Lightbox has been completely redesigned with improved navigation, enhanced comment legibility and better overall utility. This design makes the photo the hero, letting the content itself shine through. And we’re introducing a completely new photo-tagging experience that’s both fun and fluid, and lets you quickly focus on the people in your photos.
In the meantime, Facebook just launched its new timeline. Making a Facebook page more of a life collage of important posts, photos and milestones.
It will be interesting to see how Facebook, Google+ and even Myspace continue to co-exist. But it’s a little too early in this game of war to see who will come out the hero.
P.S. Check out Goolge+ latest TV commercial.
