The Death of Google+?
By
Chris Abraham
Yes, Vic Gundotra is leaving Google+ and 1,200 Google+ employees are being moved to other parts of Google, but Google+ isn’t dead. In fact, it’s becoming more and more embedded into everything that is Google. It’s Google’s hub, from which YouTube, Google Business Pages, Google Mail, and even Google Apps for Business (which looks like it’s rebranding as Google + Business — interesting).
So, like they’ve said from the very beginning, they’re a self-described “social layer” and not a social network — an authorship tool that hard wires online content directly to its companies, brands, publications, owners and authors. Plus is the glue — or, maybe the Gloogle — between all of the disparate properties. Case in point, my own vanity URL for my Google+ profile is not only plus.google.com/+ChrisAbraham but is also google.com/+ChrisAbraham too. Isn’t that interesting?Another case-in-point: how YouTube has begun handling YouTube Channel creation. Back in the day, as far as I knew, one needed to create a unique Google email address for each YouTube channel, at least between the time between when you just registered separately for a Google account with usernames, a long time ago.
Now, you can visit your YouTube while you’re logged in through your “home” email account, in my case cabraham@gmail.com, and then you can go to YouTube Settings and you’ll see a spot where you can create a new YouTube channel.
If you want to produce video content, you need to join Google+
Funny thing is, let’s say you’ve been avoiding putting together a Google+ account until this moment, for whatever reason. You don’t want another social network, you’ve tried it before and it’s not your thing, etc. Well, as you are still welcome to use YouTube all you want as yourself, as your user account, without joining Google+; however, if you want to start Vlogging on YouTube at all, you’ll now be required to create a Google+ account. Also, if you want to create a separate channel down the road, focusing on something else, such as your business, your hobby, your sport, a club, or a business venture, you’ll then be required to create a separate Google+ Business Page for every separate channel you create.
So, in a post-Google+ world, Google’s tightening the screws and creating new and creative ways of coercing each and every aspiring video content producer to not only invest in Google Plus (you do want your own channel, don’t you? To upload your own cat videos?) but, if your in any way ambitious, you’ll end up with at least one Google+ Business Page. What this requires, as I have said before, is also your Real Name, at least, and your mobile phone number, maybe a backup phone, your business address, your business number, and then a whole bunch of other real, authentic information in order to flush your real identity into the clearing. They’ll also want to associate all of your online properties with you as well, your blog, business site, personal site, social media sites, and alternate email addresses.
The reports of Google Pluss’ death have been greatly exaggerated. Here’s another one, “Mille viae ducunt homines per saecula Google+” — all roads lead to Google+.
