There is no debate on Google+ quickly taking hold of the social spaces. It is becoming the go-to site for so many people of all ages. However, Google seems to not be listening to everything the majority of the Google+ users who are on the platform for both social and professional reasons.
Animated .gifs Running People Off
The features annoying most people I introduce Google+ is the animated .gif files Google allows to be posted in the public stream. The term annoying is the kindest word I was provided from the hundreds of Plussers who immediately responded to my question on their interest in seeing animated .gifs in their stream.
Nearly everyone is asking me how to Mute them or report them or keep from getting them posted to their stream. This kind of response to my question that concerns me if Google is even aware of the damage these non-stop animated posts are making to their social platform. Many of my supporters have reported deleting their Google account because of the high volume of .gif files. A large number who took my advice in closely managing their circles to uncircle people who only post .gifs report that the time to uncircle these people is not productive.
I have asked all my followers to click on the Google+ feedback tab to provide Google their feelings on the subject, which all of them said they have done a number of times.
Why Is Google Not Listening
With this many people, and all of their contacts they have talked to, all reporting to Google their dissatisfaction with having to wade through a seemingly endless stream of .gif files in their Google+ Public stream it would seem Google would make some explanation on why they are allowing them..or would implement some of the very sound solutions to allowing them to be controlled. There is no doubt that animated files get attention and generate traffic and interaction, but is Muting and account deleting the action Google is wanting for allowing these annoyances? Can’t see it in Google’s interest to let these animated .gif files kill Google+.
Seeks strange to many with the recent launch of the New Google Plus design Google also launched the Autoawsome feature ,which allows a Plusser to link a series of photos to create an animated file. Google just seems to have just put more fuel on the fire that is burning down the interest in Google Plus by millions of Real People who need Google+ for their business efforts.
Catering to the Few Instead of the Many
In recent conversation I have had with people close to the Google development centers I was told many of the features offered by Google are developed from the self interest of developers in particular department of Google. There is no market studies done to get the input from the general population of Google+ on if a feature is of interest. Many of the features to Google+ are built to cater to small niche of people outside the front foor of Google who have very, very narrow interest in particular areas of tech and have a high level of influence to large numbers of people who drink their koolaide.
Seems appeasing the photo and animated photo market is the personal interest of many Google developers..so to keep their senior developers for these departments happy Google launches their pet projects in as features to Google+.
Stop The Bleeding
Whether what I have been told is true or not is still up for debate and probably could be validated if someone from Google would address the reasoning for seeming to ignore the damage these animated files are doing to Google+ image. There is no doubt the animated files are cute and entertaining. However, when they flood the Google+ stream to a point no other content can be seen in the stream it visually is not value to a Plusser’s stream. Muting the animated files makes the stream look like it has been carpet bombed. This can’t be what Google wants people like me, who train hundreds of people on G+, to flash up on the screen for newbies to G+ all to see.
I would think Google might want to consider taking action by implementing some of the excellent alternatives suggested to control the animated .gif posts. Some of which are to TAB the animated .gif and Autoawesome posts so those who want to see them can do so by clicking on the tab. Or..to place a start stop button in the file like video posts offer. If these are not options then the suggestion to offer Mute Buttons as part of the call-to-action selection be placed in the .gif animated post.
Hope Google does something soon..like before I get up in front of another group of people to show them what G+ is all about. Let me know how I can help..please!
I couldn’t agree more. They’re ruining G+. Sometimes a friend posts a video and it creates a stupid animated GIF of the video which is terrible.
I’d also love to know what makes a post appear in ‘What’s Hot’?. I’m completely fed up of all these ridiculous life advice posts. Recycled crap that (ironically) are generally posted by people that have no lives and nothing interesting to say or contribute.
I know it’s now five months after this was first published but I believe it applies more now than it did back in June 2013, at least on the Android platform. The Google+ app was updated at the beginning of November 2013 and whilst it is good in some areas, it just became a nightmare for anyone with limited data to play with. Before, the user has the choice about whether they wanted to see an animated GIF. If yes, you just tapped it and it would download. Now, it loads whether you want it to or not. That means using up a whole lot more of your precious data. I have tried using a couple different methods to get someone’s attention on this issue though I don’t expect I’ll hear back or make any difference. I don’t have money (and therefore data) to burn so I will reluctantly be forced to quit Google+ unless they allow the automatic downloading of the files to be switched off by the user.
Luke, I hear ya…and if you want Google to hear you they asked me to tell people to have people fill out the Feedback form. More and more people each day are getting tired of the .gifs and the Autoawesomes. If they all filled out a Feedback form Google can then see they are not wanted. Thanks for you comment.