Google+ and Facebook: The rise of social networks and failed attempts that followed

There is general consensus on the importance of social media. The brands around the world have made social media a multimillionaire empire. It turns out that, aside from Twitter and Facebook, many have not succeeded in leaving a mark with a successful social network.

It is an endless cycle. You join a network, and enjoy it, because all your friends are there. And then some of his friends speak of new networks boast of a couple of interesting new features. And you think to yourself, you're probably better in a place with more friends, rather than have their friends scattered across networks.

Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, even largely made most of the early advantage in carving a niche movement. For communicating short form, Twitter stands out. For networks with old friends, Facebook has built the largest user base, and when it comes to a professional network, LinkedIn is arguably the most credible of all.

All of these names aside, there have been attempts by Google and Microsoft to build a successful social network. About the same time, Google had discovered that his first attempt at social media - Orkut - was not very successful. There had to be something new. Something that was better.

Goole +

Failure is not new to Google. Google+ Before there was Google Wave, which was destined to revolutionize the way we looked email. Then there was Google Buzz. Is no one even remembers them anymore. In a very interesting article on Mashable, Vic Gundotra is reported to have constantly released to the CEO of Google, Larry Page, the need to create a social network. Quoting a former executive of Google, he says the report, "Vic was just this constant error in Larry's ear:" Facebook will kill us. Facebook will kill us. Vic'm pretty sure managed to scare Larry in action. And voila: Google+ born ".

Today, Google is considered as death, if not dead. Vic Gundotra is not Google's. But the money has been invested and remains invested. According to preliminary estimates in 2011, the total investment that went into Google+ was $ 585 million US dollars. TheNextWeb said the number "is eerily close to what News Corp paid for MySpace so many years ago, which was $ 580 million in 2005."

Microsoft Socl

When it comes to Microsoft, the focus today is on Windows 10, and other exciting products as Cortana and HoloLens. However, in December 2010, Microsoft offered to buy Facebook for $ 15 billion. And humbly Facebook refused to sell. Microsoft then tried to create social network itself.

Microsoft has a social network called So.cl (pronounced social) and the possibilities that have heard of it are pretty slim. In many ways, So.cl is similar to Google+.

We wonder why companies the size of Google and Microsoft have failed to create a social network worth considering. There is, it comes down to what users experience and hope. Any attempt to run it as a product to generate revenue will lose the most important factor - user experience.