Google+ aims for second wind with redesign
Google+, the nascent social media platform which aims to give Facebook a run for its money, has rolled out a site redesign as it publishes fresh figures which purportedly show a rise in engageme
Included in the “awesome” facelift are a series of enhancements and innovations; including incorporation of full size pics, videos, a ‘navigation ribbon’, ‘conversation cards’ and a dedicated page for the popular ‘hang out’ feature.
Google claims that 170m people have now signed up to its fledgling service, adding that a 100m of these have used the service in the past 30 days – amidst claims that many who have signed up have subsequently left their accounts dormant.
It follows suspicion in the industry that Google’s numbers have been inflated by people simply checking out the service once out of curiosity or creating an account because they are now forced to have one to register for YouTube or a Gmail account.
Vic Gundotra, Google’s vice president, said that the new iteration is more “functional and flexible”, saying: “We think you'll find it easier to use and nicer to look at, but most importantly, it accelerates our efforts to create a simpler, more beautiful Google.
"Simply put, we're hoping to make sharing more awesome by making it more evocative. You know that feeling you get when a piece of art takes your breath away, or when a friend stops by with unexpected gifts? We want sharing to feel like that, every single time.”