Google Plus (Google+) was the tech giant's last and short-lived foray into consumer-oriented social media networking.
Google Plus was Google's fourth attempt at rivaling Facebook and launched in June 2011. Though enjoying strong initial growth in its first few years, Google Plus never really took off as Google hoped. Despite early enthusiasm for the product, Google Plus' user engagement was stubbornly modest compared to its main rival Facebook.
A major redesign took place in late 2015 but to no avail. User numbers continued to be low, with not enough being on offer to tempt people away from other more established social media platforms.
The final straw was the uncovering of a design glitch that allowed developers access to the personal information of Google Plus users. The plug was pulled on the offending API in March 2019 before the entire service was canned by Google less than a month later.
However, the business version of Google Plus limped on for a short time as part of G Suite before the remaining users were migrated over to Google Currents in July 2020.
Undeterred by the Google Plus fiasco, Google had yet another punt at social media in July 2019 with the soft launch of Shoelace. This social networking experiment focused on organizing local events and activities.
But Shoelace was just months old before it became undone by the COVID-19 global pandemic. By May 2020, Google again admitted defeat and shelved Shoelace.
The only way to access the successor to Google Plus is if you are a Google Workspace subscriber. In that case, the app has been rebranded as Google Workspace Currents.
Google Workspace Currents
● Social media for employees to work together, collaborate and share ideas
● Instant feedback on your ideas
● Focused, meaningful discussions
● Personalized content
Google Workspace Currents is a social media platform moderated and administered by your organization rather like an intranet on steroids.
All Google Workspace users can have Currents access if so permitted by the administrator. You can set up private communities within Currents to allow organizations to interact with customers, suppliers, and the public.
Internally, Currents is an excellent way to discuss new projects company-wide or within a group. Content is personalized for each individual who can further refine what they prioritize by following tags.
Admins have access to key metrics to gain valuable insights on user engagement and content.
● Google Workspace Currents is included in the cost of Google Workspace
● 24/7 support by live chat, email, and phone
● Needs moderation resources to keep interactions focussed and on track
To get Google Workspace Currents, your organization needs to have a Google Workspace subscription. Plans start from $6 per user per month. In addition to Currents, this package includes:
● The entire Google Workspace suite of tools
● Video meetings for up to 100 participants
● 30 GB of cloud storage per user
This is the entry-level package. The other subscription plans are $12 and $18 per user per month, with a bespoke option for large organizations.
