4 ms·

It reminds me of google plus. Technically better than the existing top dog, but the forced migration and trying to bootstrap with a huge but only semi involved

It reminds me of google plus. Technically better than the existing top dog, but the forced migration and trying to bootstrap with a huge but only semi involved userbase let it fizzle soon after the start. Has there ever been a successful case of bootstrapping a new social media product with an existing userbase? Like not just added features or merging two together.

AlchemistCamp 2y ago
Yes. WeChat bootstrapped off of QQ accounts, which were basically like Yahoo or MSN messenger + pages for desktop users.
citizenkeen 2y ago
Google+ was wildly successful in certain circles. Tabletop RPG design still hasn’t entirely recovered from its loss. Google+ was successful from any real metric but it didn’t replace Facebook so it was axed.
- starkparker 2y ago
  The TTRPG community demonstrated how G+ circles solved how people segment different parts of their social lives by limiting the scope to a specific community and cause. Most people in that space were heavily invested in that community but also didn't want it being their primary public identity. But the community is so minuscule that I'm not sure Google even knew it existed. If it had taken off to the same degree among something closer to critical mass, like today's parasocial celebrity communities or mainstream sports, it might've survived. IMO most of that TTRPG community migrated to Discord, but the invite requirements make discovery horrible, search is terrible, real-time chat is miserable for discussion, and its "forum" features are just threaded chats. The vibe is way worse, it breeds and feeds drama, and the audience that survives it can correspondingly be either less appealing or require more moderation. Bluesky doesn't solve the same problems as G+ circles, but between feeds and follow/moderation lists, it has a similar vibe of being able to focus the lens on a topic better than Twitter or Threads, and without the overhead and UX gaps of Fediverse.
- hughesjj 2y ago
  I definitely preferred it to Facebook, even before the feed became 100% inflammatory political stuff or ads and 0% my friends
- plufz 2y ago
  By which metrics was Google+ successful? I don’t doubt you, I just never heard that before.
  - blntechie 2y ago
    I can't say user metrics but Google Photos came out of Google+ and it is a massively successful product. Hangouts (now Meet?) was also a product out of Google+ but considering GChat (the xmpp version) existed before, it was kind of a step backwards. I think Google Local Guide also has some parts of Google+, not sure.
    - Fluorescence 2y ago
      IMHO Google Photos was also just brand/infra-churn because it replaced Picasa Web Albums.
wolpoli 2y ago
It's not exactly new social media product, but Facebook did add messaging to their then Facebook app, build up usage of messaging itself (network effect within the user's friend list), and then split it off into its own Messenger app. They are sharing the same Facebook login through.
protocolture 2y ago
Well Facebook bootstrapped using the MySpace userbase.
- crossroadsguy 2y ago
  When MySpace essentially died. There was no such void to fill for Google+.
  - protocolture 2y ago
    When Facebook deployed a tool that notified your MySpace friendslist that you had moved, where you moved, how to sign up, and even IIRC temporarily gathered your MySpace feed and added it to your facebook feed so you didnt feel out of touch. Touch of genius really.
crossroadsguy 2y ago
I never used and would never use Threads for the same reason I never even considered Google+. It was DoA and I guess everyone could see it, even the people who were trying it. Such is the case with Threads. I mean that morning when Zuck woke up and decided that a Threads a/c would need an Instagram a/c he must have seen on his daily astronomy calendar "Day of self-sabotage".
wink 2y ago
Not sure how you define "technically better" but in any way I'd add "citation needed". G+ was kinda horrible with a couple good ideas and I think the lack of widespread adoption spoke for that.
- tim333 2y ago
  I remember it has having a horrible page layout with the left half of the screen being basically white space and a few messages off to the right somewhere. I lasted about five minutes on it.

AlchemistCamp 2y ago

Yes. WeChat bootstrapped off of QQ accounts, which were basically like Yahoo or MSN messenger + pages for desktop users.

citizenkeen 2y ago

Google+ was wildly successful in certain circles. Tabletop RPG design still hasn’t entirely recovered from its loss. Google+ was successful from any real metric but it didn’t replace Facebook so it was axed.

starkparker 2y ago
The TTRPG community demonstrated how G+ circles solved how people segment different parts of their social lives by limiting the scope to a specific community and cause. Most people in that space were heavily invested in that community but also didn't want it being their primary public identity. But the community is so minuscule that I'm not sure Google even knew it existed. If it had taken off to the same degree among something closer to critical mass, like today's parasocial celebrity communities or mainstream sports, it might've survived. IMO most of that TTRPG community migrated to Discord, but the invite requirements make discovery horrible, search is terrible, real-time chat is miserable for discussion, and its "forum" features are just threaded chats. The vibe is way worse, it breeds and feeds drama, and the audience that survives it can correspondingly be either less appealing or require more moderation. Bluesky doesn't solve the same problems as G+ circles, but between feeds and follow/moderation lists, it has a similar vibe of being able to focus the lens on a topic better than Twitter or Threads, and without the overhead and UX gaps of Fediverse.
hughesjj 2y ago
I definitely preferred it to Facebook, even before the feed became 100% inflammatory political stuff or ads and 0% my friends
plufz 2y ago
By which metrics was Google+ successful? I don’t doubt you, I just never heard that before.
- blntechie 2y ago
  I can't say user metrics but Google Photos came out of Google+ and it is a massively successful product. Hangouts (now Meet?) was also a product out of Google+ but considering GChat (the xmpp version) existed before, it was kind of a step backwards. I think Google Local Guide also has some parts of Google+, not sure.
  - Fluorescence 2y ago
    IMHO Google Photos was also just brand/infra-churn because it replaced Picasa Web Albums.

wolpoli 2y ago

It's not exactly new social media product, but Facebook did add messaging to their then Facebook app, build up usage of messaging itself (network effect within the user's friend list), and then split it off into its own Messenger app. They are sharing the same Facebook login through.

protocolture 2y ago

Well Facebook bootstrapped using the MySpace userbase.

crossroadsguy 2y ago
When MySpace essentially died. There was no such void to fill for Google+.
- protocolture 2y ago
  When Facebook deployed a tool that notified your MySpace friendslist that you had moved, where you moved, how to sign up, and even IIRC temporarily gathered your MySpace feed and added it to your facebook feed so you didnt feel out of touch. Touch of genius really.

crossroadsguy 2y ago

I never used and would never use Threads for the same reason I never even considered Google+. It was DoA and I guess everyone could see it, even the people who were trying it. Such is the case with Threads. I mean that morning when Zuck woke up and decided that a Threads a/c would need an Instagram a/c he must have seen on his daily astronomy calendar "Day of self-sabotage".

wink 2y ago

Not sure how you define "technically better" but in any way I'd add "citation needed". G+ was kinda horrible with a couple good ideas and I think the lack of widespread adoption spoke for that.

tim333 2y ago
I remember it has having a horrible page layout with the left half of the screen being basically white space and a few messages off to the right somewhere. I lasted about five minutes on it.