New Google Plus Data Shows Weak User Engagement

Larry Page recently called Google+ the company's "social spine." If that's the case, then Google's backbone might be much weaker than Page has been letting on, at least according to a new report from RJ Metrics.

This week, the data analytics firm provided Fast Company with exclusive new insights on Google+. The findings paint a very poor picture of the search giant's social network--a picture of waning interest, weak user engagement, and minimal social activity. Google calls the study flawed--we'll explain why in a second--and has boasted that more than 170 million people have "upgraded" to the network. RJ Metrics' report, on the other hand, is yet another indicator that Google+ might indeed just be a "virtual ghost town," as some have argued.

Let's start with the findings. For its study, RJ Metrics (RJM) selected a sample of 40,000 random Google+ users. RJM then downloaded and analyzed every sample users' public timeline, which contains all publicly available activity. One important caveat: RJM was only able to look at public data, which as it points out, "is not necessarily reflective of the entire population of users," since some users are private or at least have private activity. That said, the stats are eye-opening:

• According to RJM's report, the average post on Google+ has less than one +1, less than one reply, and less than one re-share
• Roughly 30% of users who make a public post never make a second one
• Even after making five public posts, there is a 15% chance that a user will not post publicly again
• Among users who make publicly viewable posts, there is an average of 12 days between each post
• After a member makes a public post, the average number of public posts they make in each subsequent month declines steadily, a trend that is not improving

In a statement provided to Fast Company, a Google spokesperson challenged the claims made in RJM's report. "By only tracking engagement on public posts, this study is flawed and not an accurate representation of all the sharing and activity taking place on Google+," the spokesperson said. "As we've said before, more sharing occurs privately to circles and individuals than publicly on Google+. The beauty of Google+ is that it allows you to share privately--you don't have to publicly share your thoughts, photos or videos with the world."

In its report, RJM acknowledged that it only provided insight into "public-facing actions of Google+ users." Still, in many instances, RJM said it was "quite surprised" by the low levels of engagement on public Google+ postings. For example, RJM said it was "shocked at the high average time between public posts among users." On average, a user waits 15 days between making his or her first and second public post. That figure improves with each subsequent post, but only slightly: There is an average of 10 days between a user's fifth and sixth public post.

"Remember that since we are only looking at public posts, it is very possible that users are making non-public posts between the ones that we were able to see," RJM's report indicates. "Despite this, however, we were still quite surprised by the large amount of time between public posts."

Of all the areas RJM studied, it felt social sharing was the one category that was "the least likely to be biased by the fact that we only studied public posts. These public posts will still be visible to each member's private networks, and actually could attract +1's, shares, and replies from external users as well. If anything, we would expect our numbers here to be higher than in the general population."

However, in its analysis of almost 70,000 posts, RJM found:

• An average of 0.77 +1's per post
• An average of 0.54 replies per post
• An average of 0.17 re-shares per post

These low engagement levels do appear to match up with a recent study by ComScore. In February, it was reported that, according to ComScore, non-mobile visitors to Google+ spent an average of roughly three minutes on the network per month, between the months of September and January, compared with nearly seven hours per month on rival Facebook during the same timeframe.

Even with users who have engaged with Google+ on multiple occasions, there are signs that the network never becomes quite addictive. "Once a user has made one public post, the chances that they will make a second post are quite strong: around 70%," RJM's report says. "After that, however, Google+ does not perform as well as we were expecting. In charts like these we typically expect to see the probability of repeat posts shoot up to well north of 90% by the time the user has made several posts."

This is basically the 'once you're using it you're hooked' principle. With Google+, however, this number never crosses the 90% mark. Even after having made five such posts, the chance of making a sixth is only 85%. This means that 15% of people who have made five posts never came back to make a sixth."

On the other hand, it could also mean that the more a user engages with Google+, the more likely he or she is to engage with Circles, which would yield more private activity.

The same, arguably, could be said of waning engagement on Google+. RJM did a cohort analysis that highlights the rate of public postings throughout time. "This is a cumulative chart, so we're basically showing the 'average number of total posts made' as it grows over time for users in each cohort," RJM's report said.

"The decay rate here is very concerning," the report continued. "Users are less and less likely to make additional posts, even a few months after initially joining."

Part of the reason there have been so many reports on the so-called Google+ "ghost town" is because Google has refused to provide clear figures and metrics for its social network's active user base. The company has said there are 170 million people who have "upgraded" to Google+, which is just a confusing way to say that 170 million people have signed up for the service (which takes about a click or two if you are already a Gmail user).

The company has been asked repeatedly for monthly active users, and it's repeatedly denied such requests, essentially calling them irrelevant. The closest we've seen of active usership was when the company explained how many Google+ users were engaging with Google Plus-enhanced or -related products. The problem is that Google Plus-enhanced products include YouTube and Google.com, meaning if you are engaging with basically any Google property (there are 120 Google+ integrations thus far) while signed up with Google+, Google is basically counting this as engagement with Google+, which is incredibly misleading, as some have argued. 

Google has continuously fudged its numbers and dodged specifics around Google+, as search guru Danny Sullivan has recorded in his brilliant rundown of Google's lack of transparency on the subject. To confuse things all the more, Larry Page recently said in an earnings call that "there are 2 parts to the Google+ experience: the part that is the social spine, and the other part that's the social destination part of Google+ exclusively. Both of these are growing fast, but the social destination part of Google+ is growing as a new product with very healthy growth."

There's a simple way to solve this problem: Just provide the number of active monthly users on Google+ (proper). Facebook does it. Google even does it with YouTube, which, as Larry Page boasted recently, has 800 million monthly users. But when I made a request for such figures, Google did not provide them.

This is why the press is increasingly turning to third parties, such as ComScore and RJ Metrics, to learn more about Google+ usage. "Google is just refusing to answer the question for its own reasons," Danny Sullivan wrote, "which is probably because Google+ has far less activity as a standalone social network than either Facebook or Twitter."

Or as RJM's report put it, "At the end of the day, Google+ simply does not show the same level of ravenous user adoption and engagement that we've seen in other social networks."

Is Google+ a Ghost Town, and Does It Matter?

Google+ is a lonely place. At least according to a new study that paints the social networking site as a virtual tumbleweed town.

Using information culled from the public timelines of 40,000 randomly selected members, data analysis firm RJMetrics found that the Google+ population, which currently numbers 170 million, is largely disengaged, with user activity rapidly decaying—at least when it comes to public posts.

According to RJMetrics, 30 percent of first-time Google+ public posters don’t post again. Of those who make five public posts, only 15 percent post again. The average time lapse between posts is 12 days, and RJMetrics cites a cohort analysis showing that members tend to make fewer public posts with each successive month. And the response to public posts on Google+ is extremely weak. The average post receives fewer than one reply, fewer than one “+1″ (the equivalent to Facebook’s “Like”), and fewer than one re-share—basically most posts in the study did not garner any response.

Google (GOOG) contends that RJMetrics’s findings are inaccurate. They’re based on a small sampling of users and, more problematically, incorporate only data regarding public posts. Google+ was expressly designed to simplify sharing with select private groups, the company says, as opposed to sending public blasts à la Facebook. “More sharing occurs privately to circles and individuals than publicly on Google+,” reads a statement from Google. “The beauty of Google+ is that it allows you to share privately—you don’t have to publicly share your thoughts, photos or videos with the world.”

Google will not provide numbers on user engagement, but last July the company noted that people are two to three times more likely to share content with one of their circles than to make a public post.

Robert Moore of RJMetrics acknowledges that the study is skewed by the lack of private data, but points out that his findings echo a ComScore (SCOR) study released in February, which showed that Google+ users spent only about 3 minutes per month on the social networking site in January, compared with 7.5 hours on Facebook. “I think those data points reaffirm the underlying thesis, which is simply that engagement and retention are not strong characteristics of [Google+].” (A Google spokeswoman said the ComScore study, too, is inaccurate.)

Danny Sullivan, editor-in-chief of the industry blog Search Engine Land, says the RJMetrics study results are no surprise and likely present an accurate picture of Google+ user engagement. To put things in perspective, he points to a recent Lady Gaga post that received 570 “+1s” on Google+. The exact same post on Facebook got 133,539 “Likes.” “I don’t think they’re going to overtake Facebook, nor close the gap anytime soon—I think they’ll be a distant second for some time,” says Sullivan.

Still, Sullivan says Google+ provides Google with crucial user data to improve its main business: search. “Google+ allows Google to collect votes about what people like directly, which can help it in terms of its search ranking process,” he says. “Even if only 1 million or 2 million are active on the site, that might still be enough for them [Google] to get what they’re looking for.”

New and Free Chat Widget Recently Launched to Help Google Plus Users Gain Social Leverage

Chat Wing has now branched out to Google+. The chat box is ready to help Google+ users expand their social circles. Chatwing is also gaining popularity in the blogosphere.

When it comes to leverage, Google+ still belongs to the upper roster, based on user reviews and some professional recommendations all over the Internet. Facebook still leads the competition singlehandedly, but Google+ has its strong points. Chatwing, an advanced website chat tool, is now ready to help Google+ users expand their social circles. The application can be used in quick and easy steps, serving as immediate solution for any communication woes.

Sign-ups have begun rushing in the moment Chatwing hits the Internet. Chatwing's soft marketing reaches out to a lot of people who seek a shout box, and they already saw its outlying potential. When its developers made clear changes, people became more curious and signed up with the latest Chatwing version. The second version led to the sign-ups of Google+ users. Most of them were using Chatwing for professional services such as online selling and service providing.

Bloggers prefer Chatwing over other chatrooms because it is simpler and quicker. It may have the occasional jitters, but it catches on quickly without disconnections. This simply means a steady flow of communication at any given time. Chatwing also introduces a Facebook integration feature wherein users can log in with their Facebook accounts and send our invitations to everyone. They can also use their Twitter accounts to find new followers. Through these sign-up options alone, a blogger may recognize the potential of Chatwing's chat box.

Chatwing's installation mechanism is also easy and doesn't take much time. This is an important factor that has benefited a lot of Google+ users. Since most users are professionals, they can only spare few minutes when it comes to installation. Chatwing also offers a high rate of customization. It has been noted that a fully-customized chat widget will attract more visitors. Adding to that, a widget that fits with the theme of the blog can raise visibility by somewhere near 100%. In some cases, the percentage may go up.

About Chatwing.com 

Chatwing.com has developed live chat software for websites and blogs. It caters to different online communities due to its high rate of connectivity. Everyone can create a customizable live chat box feature in 1 minute or less. Users have the ability to customize the size, color, and fonts of the chat product. The ability to chat via social media accounts such as Facebook and Twitter enable Chat Wing to offer a personal and unique real-time experience to all sites. Chatwing is 100% free and very easy to use.

Google-Oracle fight could affect all software world

There is warning it may become harder for firms to reverse-engineer rival's technologies to create compatible products

Are you confused by the odd drama that has been playing out in a San Francisco courtroom between two of the titans of the technology industry, Oracle and Google? If not, then you should be.

It is a case that turns on abstruse arguments to do with the interaction of software code and copyright laws that were not written with such digital forms of expression in mind.

Even the companies' own chief executives, Oracle's Larry Ellison and Google's Larry Page, have had trouble from the witness stand answering questions on technical concepts that can only have befuddled a non-expert jury.

Also, depending on whom you listen to, the case is about everything or nothing. Either the future of Google's Android operating system — and possibly much of the open-source software world — is at stake, or the eventual costs of this trial will be counted only in bruised corporate egos, along with minimal damages and licensing fees.

At the heart of the dispute is a clash of the "open" and "closed" software worlds. These have become notoriously slippery terms: any tech company trying to put itself on the side of the angels likes to describe its approach as open while denouncing its rivals as closed.

So it is ironic that Oracle, famous for its aggressive business tactics, should be the one defending the open — in this case, the Java programming language it acquired when it bought Sun Microsystems. The code was designed to make it possible for software applications to run on many different operating systems without the need for modification.

It is Google, the self-professed "do not be evil" company, that is being forced to explain why — after failing to reach a deal with Sun to license Java — it felt it could just use the technology anyway.

The main issue the rival armies of lawyers have been lining up around concerns 37 of the application programming interfaces, or APIs, that act as the software "hooks" for other developers to write applications that run on Android. Google followed the Java formats but wrote its own code. In effect, its APIs feel like Java, yet they don't copy it exactly. Hence the confusion over whether copyright should apply.

There is certainly an important issue of principle at stake. Java dates from the days when Sun was trying to prevent Microsoft's Windows from completely dominating the software world. It needed a technology that would let applications travel widely, giving hope to software ecosystems beyond Windows. So if Google's own "flavour" of Java threatens to Balkanise the technology — and, thanks to its growth, Android could eventually become the dominant form of mobile Java — then it makes sense to drag it back into the fold. But is that enough reason for Oracle to turn this into an expensive legal circus? Most technology pundits view it as a side issue that has little bearing on the wider health of the Java ecosystem. If so, then something less obvious is at stake.

Longer-term goal

One possible hint of Oracle's longer-term goal may have come early in the trial, with the revelation that it considered entering the mobile software business itself after buying Sun. It looked at acquiring Research In Motion or Palm and considered creating its own software from scratch. Taking up the next best tool it has to hand — Java — could be one way for it to extend its reach further into mobile software. Were Oracle to win its case, Google would have to seek a licence for Java or face the unpalatable option of rewriting its APIs, making them incompatible with existing Android apps.

Besides the fees, such an outcome would leave Oracle with a bigger say over how Android operates. Future versions would have to reflect any changes made to Java — a potentially cumbersome process.

Exactly how Oracle would exert that influence and what it might hope to get out of it are two of the murky questions this would raise, but it can't be a prospect relished by Google. So far the jury has delivered a mixed verdict and the court has yet to rule on whether APIs are even copyrightable.

Meanwhile, by taking potshots at Google, Oracle has threatened to open a much bigger can of worms in the software world. Were the court to find that software APIs are subject to copyright, it would raise a host of thorny questions for an industry that relies on many different techniques to make its products work together effectively.

Ripples

There have already been dark warnings that it could become harder for companies to reverse-engineer their rival's technologies to create compatible products. The interaction of open-source and commercial software, which exist in different legal spheres, could also become tangled up in copyright disputes.

It is impossible to tell how far the ripples might travel. But most in the software world would rather not find out.

How to schedule Google+ posts in Chrome

Whether you need to schedule an announcement or a birthday wish in Google+, here's an easy-to-use extension that does the work for you

If you're a fan of services like HootSuite which let you schedule tweets, Facebook posts, and even LinkedIn notes, then you'll probably like Do Share for Google Chrome, as well. Unfortunately, sites like HootSuite haven't rolled out the ability to schedule posts on Google+ to all of their users. So if you're interested in scheduling a notice about a product launch, a reminder to a friend, or just your random thoughts, Do Share can help you out. 

This browser extension is very simple to install, and even easier to use. Here's how to get started:

Download a copy of Do Share for your Google Chrome browser.

Note: Chrome has to be running, connected to the Internet and logged into Google for Do Share to send posts to Google+, since they are saved in your browser until the scheduled time -- per the notes for the extension.

Step 1: Click then button for the extension on your browser's toolbar, then click on Create new post and then fill in the details of your message.

Step 2:To adjust which circles will see your post, click on Add more people.

Step 3: From here, you can decide to send the post to your drafts, schedule the post, or share it immediately.

(Optional) Step 4: If you choose Schedule, you'll need to input a date and time for the post to go live.

(Optional) Step 5: View the drafts and scheduled tweets at the bottom of the page. Simply click on any tweet you need to delete or adjust.

While this method isn't as easy as scheduling posts in HootSuite, it's the next closest thing. What types of posts do you schedule in advance?

US spy agency need not reveal Google links

The top-secret US National Security Agency is not required to reveal any deal it may have with Google to help protect against cyber attacks, an appeals court ruled Friday. 

The US Court of Appeals in Washington upheld a lower court decision that said the NSA need not confirm or deny any relationship with Google, because its governing statutes allow it keep such information secret. 

The ruling came in response to a Freedom of Information Act request from a public interest group, which said the public has a right to know about any spying on citizens. 

The appeals court agreed that the NSA can reject the request, and does not even have to confirm whether it has any arrangement with the Internet giant. 

"Any information pertaining to the relationship between Google and NSA would reveal protected information about NSA's implementation of its information assurance mission," Judge Janice Rogers Brown wrote in the appeals opinion. 

The non-profit Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) filed a formal request to make public documents related to the dealings, and said much of the information had already been in news media. 

The request stemmed from a January 2010 cyber attack on Google that primarily targeted the Gmail email accounts of Chinese human rights activists. 

According to the Google blog, the Internet group's chief legal officer David Drummond stated that the firm was notifying other companies that may have been targeted and was also working with the relevant US authorities. 

The Wall Street Journal and Washington Post reported that Google had contacted the NSA immediately following the attack. 

According to news reports, the NSA agreed to help Google analyze the attacks in a bid to better protect the California-based search company and its users from future intrusions. 

The reported alliance would seek to allow the spy agency to evaluate Google's hardware and software vulnerabilities, as well as estimate the sophistication of its adversary in order to help the firm understand whether it has the right defenses in place. 

Privacy advocates already critical of Google policies regarding saving user data and targeting ads to match online behavior patterns fear that an alliance with the spy network could put private information at risk. 

Apple to drop Google Maps in iOS 6

Apple will drop Google Maps from its upcoming mobile platform iOS 6 in favour of its own mapping system, it was reported Friday. 

The application design is said to be fairly similar to the current Google Maps programme on the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, but it is described as a much cleaner, faster and more reliable experience, said technology news website 9to5mac, citing its sources. 

Over the last few years, Apple has been acquiring mapping companies like Placebase, C3 Technologies and Poly9. The acquisitions enable Apple to create a complete mapping database of its own instead of relying on Google's solutions, reported Xinhua. 

The most important aspect of the new Apple Maps application, according to the report, is a powerful 3D mode, which is technology straight from C3 Technologies, a Swedish company Apple bought last year. 

Apple has been gradually pushing Google Maps away. Last week, Apple acknowledged that its iOS iPhoto app, a photo-sorting tool for the iPad and iPhone, had switched from Google Maps data to OpenStreetMap data since March. The app uses mapping data to display the shoot location of geotagged photos. 

Apple is scheduled to hold its annual Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco from June 11 to 15. The key announcement at this year's conference is expected to be iOS 6, the sixth generation of its mobile operating system. 

Google Plus App Redesigned for the iPhone

Google announced their redesigned app for the iPhone on Wednesday via their official blog. Version 2.0.0.5888 of the Google+ brings a new stream and navigation experience, plus various bugfixes and performance improvements.

Full-bleed photos and videos are cool. But you know what’s really cool? Content so immersive it remakes your mobile device into a rich carousel of beloved memories and breaking news. That’s the Google+ experience we aspire to, and today’s release helps us get closer:

Whether you post photos or articles or text, we’re making ‘em look goooodWe’re adding crisper fonts, larger profile pics and a friendlier homescreenWe’re making the stream easier to scan, and easier on the eyes with overlays, gradients and other visual elements.

It might seem odd that Google updated the iOS app before the Android app, but the iOS version was so poorly received that Google had to do something to improve it. An Android update will be available in a few weeks with "a few extra surprises."

If you do not already have the Google+ app you can download it from the App Store for free. It's compatible with the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad, and requires iOS 4.3 or later.

Now reply to Google plus comments from your Gmail

Gmail and Google plus just got a little closer, with the search giant announcing that you can now use Gmail to respond to Google plus notifications.

The changes mean that Google social’s networking site which has already been integrated into search results,  will also become an important part of Gmail.

So what will it mean for users? Well they can reply to Google plus notifications instantly from their Gmail inbox without having to click on the Plus icon on the Google bar.

Users can do the following:

• You can view, comment on, and +1 posts from inside your inbox

• Your comments appear in the Google+ stream in real-time, and

• Responses from others instantly appear in Gmail, as part of the notification message 

Google hasn’t forgotten it’s mobile and Android users either. You can now directly tap on the notification email on your mobile, click reply and it will be posted automatically to your Google plus account.

However users can limit what emails their receive from plus by changing their settings.

Google will be rolling out all these changes for all users from next week, according to the blogpost.

Gmail has undergone quite a few changes over the recent past. Most recently, Google added automatic translation to Gmail, and gave users the option of broadcasting their chats on Google Hangouts Live on the social networking site.

Google Plus Opens Up Hangouts On Air Live Streaming For All

So here’s yet another feature coming from Google that is bringing video power to virtually everyone.  Hangouts On Air, which is available to only some users of Google+, will soon be available to everyone around the world who uses the social network.  It allows others to watch your hangout live streaming session through Google+, YouTube, or your own website at the click of a button.  The possibilities of this feature could be a revolution in online video: meetings, conventions, events can all be broadcast from several unique perspectives.

Hangouts On Air: Google Lets You Do It Live

Now, you can press a button that reads, “Enable Hangouts On Air,” and suddenly, strangers could be watching you and your buddies.  You can even see the number of people watching your hangout.  It’ll be live, candid, and even better, it can be recorded and posted for those who missed it.

Here’s the video explaining it all:

The new feature will roll out over the next few weeks, but Google’s blog displays several hangouts you can already go check out.  There’s one from Conan O’Brien, The Nerdist, and several TV broadcasters like CBS and CNBC.  And maybe everyday people like you are more your style: this page shows the hangouts going on right now.

This does seem like a pretty great thing.  It looks like it can be used for virtually anything, and concerts seem to be a pretty popular thing.  I wonder what the possibilities of people hanging out at a ballgame might bring…will that even be allowed?

The video above shows a bunch of chefs getting together.  It could be a fun, entertaining, and enlightening feature, although I’m sure someone out there will use it for evil, just like everything.  What Google is doing here gives them distinction from Facebook and Twitter: they really want video to be their social calling card.  They want to make it more about watching rather than reading.  And with live video, you get all the unpolished, uncensored glory.

Here’s another video advertising Hangouts On Air:

How do you think this new feature will be used?  Will this be like satellite TV broadcasting millions of live streams where people find their favorite “channel” and follow it like regular TV, or do you think businesses will get involved with this and make meetings easier, or even create live “advertising” for their products?  Seems to me like all the possibilities are true if it catches on.