Google+ becomes second largest social platform

 Google+, Social Networking  Add comments
Jan 262013
 

Pie chartBased on figures released by GlobalWebIndex it would appear that Google+ has become the 2nd largest social media platform, topped only by the might of Facebook.

Summary information claims “active users” (defined as “Used or contributed to in the past month”) grew 27% to 343m users in December 2012.  Facebook, for the same period, had an active user count of 693m; significantly less than the number 1bn often quoted by Facebook themselves.

GlobalWebIndex, who claim to be “the world’s largest and most detailed market research on multi-platform internet usage”, also noted  the fastest growing network was Twitter which grew 40% to 288m.

GWI Graph

© GlobalWebIndex

Looking at the graph it is interesting to note that Tumblr and Pinterest both have very small market share, yet the phrase Ghost Town is so often thrown around for Google+

If you also consider that YouTube (number three in the graph) is owned by Google, it is evident the combined strength is one to match Facebook.

The full GlobalWebIndex Social Platforms update report makes for interesting reading.

 Posted by on January 26, 2013
  • Christopher Roberts

    Interesting stats David, I never really thought of Google+ as that big. Like you say, many regard it as a Ghost Town. I think people create accounts and occasionally post, but it isn’t really used as as a network where people go to chat with friends and socialise online.

    • http://TheOnlyCog.com/ The Only Cog

      Thanks Christopher.

      I’ve been on G+ since launch and I have some great chats on it. I often use the analogy …. if you walk into a room full of people, stand in the middle and don’t talk to anyone, then storm out saying ‘this is rubbish’….what do you expect? You need to put some effort in.

      The big problem for me is that very few of my real-world friends are active on G+ yet so I jump between it and FB. Having said that I now know some great peeps on G+ too, just not in the physical sense!

      • Christopher Roberts

        Thanks for the reply David. I am intrigued by your view.

        I see what you mean about the crowded room of people, and you make a good point, but if only a few of your friends have Google+, is it not walking into a crowded room of strangers? I know it is good to meet new people, but wouldn’t you rather connect with your real world friends, rather than make new virtual ones – or do you think that what Google is aiming for?

        People log onto Facebook to share news, talk and arrange things with real life friends, usually more-so than virtual friends, would you not agree?

        • http://TheOnlyCog.com/ The Only Cog

          I have the best of both worlds :-)

          In my wildest fantasy everyone will defect to G+ one day and then I can control my social networking from there. It’s all in the way we use Google Circles you know.

          For now my Google+ is mostly random musings, with the odd closed circle comments to individual groups of people.