Online Loneliness At Google+ 456
An anonymous reader writes "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."
Re:Google doesn't want participation... (Score:3, Informative)
they could care less how often you post.
So they do care a bit? But not much?
Public vs. Private posts? (Score:5, Informative)
The study says they could only look at public posts. I rarely post publicly and instead use circles to limit who can see what I post. While many of the people I follow on G+ are silent (or at least they don't publish to me), so are most of the people on Facebook. I follow a comparable number of people on G+ and Facebook and my G+ feed is just as busy. I don't see how a study like this can draw any meaningful conclusions from their methodology.
Re:Real name policy to blame? (Score:5, Informative)
In my case, I didn't join Google+ because it was linked to my GMail account along with the rest of my Google profile. The Real Name issue led to people being booted from G+, with the side effect of losing the rest of their Google profile. I can't afford to lose my Google Mail over some silly issue with G+. My mail is too important.
Re:Google+ sucks! (Score:4, Informative)
This other AC is correct... I subscribe to a photographer who maybe a little militant atheist, and frequently posts about issues regarding homosexuality (though it is far from clear to me that he is actually gay). None of his photos are in anyway porn, but do occasionally show a boob or two. But mostly the complaints roll in for his religion bashing comments. And he has had lots of problems with Google censoring his posts because of this. Brandon Partridge is the photographer, he has been pretty public about his misgivings with Google, although I haven't heard of any problems for a few months. But it was definitely an ongoing thing with him for several months.
Posting as AC just cause I don't know how many people are actually following Brandon.
Re:That said (Score:2, Informative)
It's not a footnote indicator. The asterisk is part of the name (Diaspora*).
Re:Google doesn't want participation... (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Restore Google Reader! (Score:5, Informative)
It tailors the recommended section to each person. Maybe you should try harder not to be a person Google thinks will like just a bunch of Lifehacker posts.
I get all manner of interesting things in mine.