It’s big, and only getting bigger. After two months the world’s newest social network has caused quite a stir, read this and you’ll understand why.
Unveiled before our eyes at the back end of June Google+ was feted as Facebook’s biggest rival. Then proof was provided to back this spurious statement as the shiny new online community quickly ascended to take the title of ‘fastest growing social network of all time’, with analysts estimating user numbers had reached 20million in just over three weeks.
This was all despite Google+ being invite only, with every account allocated a limited number of invites. Over the next few months as access is opened, and, perhaps more importantly, the enterprise functionality is introduced for corporate marketing use, we all certainly expect this early success to continue. Predicting the future is rarely a good idea though, particularly when it comes to technology and social media. As such, let’s focus on the present and run through five key talking points that have emerged during the network’s infancy.

Mark Zuckerberg tops charts
The Google+ Social Statistics page ranks Facebook owner Mark Zuckerberg as the user with the most followers- roughly 473,525. To put that into perspective, he has around 192,049 more than second place Larry Page, and approximately 283,668 more than third ranking Sergey Brin, respectively Google’s CEO and co-founder.
YouTube syncs with new social network
Google is the world’s most popular search engine and YouTube is number two. Google owns YouTube, so when ‘Hangouts’ were introduced on Google+- a video linkup with contacts- building that functionality into YouTube was a priority. That development has now happened, so you can watch YouTube content together with any friend, wherever they are in the world.




Successful corporate tests suggest positive future
Google+ for business is still in development, but in July Ford became one of the first brands to open an account, with content including a caption contest and a live video chat with its marketing and communications director. Meanwhile Dell announces it may use ‘Hangouts’ for customer service after positive public feedback.
Facebook launches defensive campaign (maybe)
A Facebook user had all their adverts banned from the network after one prompted people to get in touch with them via Google+, and when wall posts containing invites to connect on the same new community vanished rather than finding their intended recipients rumours spread suggesting a ban on posts containing Google+ invites had been put into place by Facebook, which subsequently denied all knowledge.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cj0jjDtafak&feature=player_embedded
Privacy concerns over Google+
Several issues have surfaced, not least the ability for contacts to make your private content public by sharing with their contacts, which has now been corrected. Elsewhere, private posts have been viewed by blocked accounts, and grumblings have focused on Google’s use of information within its own advertising business.