According to this article of TheNextWeb, Google plus shows healthy growth, with more than 400 million activated profiles, and 100 million monthly active users. How the active user is defined, I’m not sure, as Google keeps the definition unclear. I, for one, am usually always logged into my Google account, which would make me an active user. The 400 million and the 100 million active user stats came through the acquisition announcement of Snapseed by Google (article about this). Snapseed is one of my favorite photo apps on the iPhone!
This week we also hit an important milestone–over 400,000,000 people have upgraded to Google+. It was only a year ago that we opened public sign-up, and we couldn’t have imagined that so many people would join in just 12 months. While Google+ is all about creating a better experience across Google, it’s also a destination. And here too, I’m happy to report that we have just crossed 100,000,000 monthly active users on Google+ (plus.google.com and mobile app).
I, for one would like to hear how many of those active 100 million users are using the mobile Google+ application. The user experience is so much better than the Facebook experience, and with a need for Facebook to make money on their mobile user engagements, while Google can subsidize their Google + efforts with the search revenue, I expect the mobile Google Plus strategy to be the battle ground for the coming months.
Google Plus an Identity Layer
As noted in an article on StateofSearch, Bas van den Beld describes it perfectly (based on a video embedded in the article):
Google+ is not just a social networking site. It is a place where you can establish your identity, have connections and show your interests. It supplies a social layer for all your Google Products. All these products can be more tailored to you.
The +1 button takes your identity and helps you build your reputation by having users publicly recommend your content or share with others.
A Google+ profile is the identity you create for Google, either personal or for your business.
I highly recommend to read the full article on Sate of Search, and watch the video to fully understand the impact Google+ can have on search results and the future of your profile and reputation online.
Google Plus Fembots
With the growth in users, come the spammers. Spam always finds its way to the place where users get together online, and spend their time. If there is a quick buck to be earned by tricking users to click on a link or buy a product, you can count on the spammers to build up new profiles with a couple of Fembots.
So, this morning, I got an email somebody on Google + just started to follow me. Not sure if it is a Fembot, as the profile looks legit with G+ posts, pictures of herself and lolcats and stuff. But as I have been around for a while on the Internets, and have studied the way spammers take over popular networks, I suspect this profile of Sarah Wilson is a Fembot.
The first post was only September 8th, where a bunch of personal pictures were uploaded. It wouldn’t surprise me if these pictures were lifted of a Facebook page. (since these pictures could be of somebody else, completely innocent, I decided to be responsible and black out her face).
Your Reputation & Your Friends in Circles
So I started to wonder; if Google+ is an identity layer, with which you can protect and build out your brand and reputation, what would the impact of your friends be on that reputation if these friends have a questionable reputation themselves? Just like guilty by a association you would be seen as a spammer if you add the Fembots to one of your circles?
What do you think..?
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