jan 14, 2014 - A Desperate Plot to Boost Google Plus

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When Google launched Gmail, Internet users quickly began using the service. Same with Google Maps. But the company has struggled to get people to try Google Plus, its answer to Facebook and Twitter.

On Thursday, in a ham-handed attempt to make Plus seem more appealing, the company said it would allow anyone to send an email to any Gmail user through the social networking service. This follows an earlier move to give every Gmail user a profile on Plus regardless of whether they wanted one or not. The company also recently started requiring people who want to comment on YouTube videos to sign up for Plus.

The company does give Gmail users a way to opt out of unsolicited messages from other Plus users – it took me less than 30 seconds to do so. And Google also says senders will not be able to see the email addresses of the people they are writing to unless the recipients reply.

It’s good that the company is doing at least that much to protect Gmail users from a barrage of unwanted messages. But the fact that it keeps tying its weak social networking site into its stronger products seems desperate. Like Microsoft before it with its operating system and browser, Google is trying to use its dominant position in one field to push a lesser service onto unsuspecting users.

I do know some people who like and use Google Plus, but most of my friends simply aren’t interested in it. They are already on Facebook or Twitter, and find no need for another social networking outlet. No amount of shoehorning by Google executives is likely to change that.

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