Agent to Agent: What Happens After Google Plus Shuts Down?
Dear Tammy: I heard Google Plus is going away. Is this a sign that some social media platforms are coming to an end? Are you going to keep using Google?
Tammy: Yes! In December 2018, Google announced that they will be shutting down Google Plus for consumers because they say that they thought more people would be using it.
They’ve recently begun sending out emails to everyone who has pictures and other types of content in their Google Plus accounts in order for them to have plenty of time to download and remove the content from the platform. Google Plus will officially shut down on April 2, so if you have any pictures or content you want to save, be sure to remove it before then!
I’ve been on Google Plus since day one and have therefore been using it for many years. I felt like it was such an amazing platform for me because Google is Google, which means that anything you post on it stays on Google.
One of the first things I’ve been doing when it comes to teaching my new agents on how to promote themselves is to have them sign up for a Google Plus account. A lot of you that have not been signed up have no idea what you are missing out on as this platform was a great free vehicle for your business!
However, the fact that Google Plus is going away now means there are many changes that need to be done, and I am confident in my ability to find another way to use Google for free.
In the meantime, now there’s a question of whether or not this unexpected shut down is a cause for alarm for other social media platforms? Facebook doesn’t seem like it’s going anywhere and in fact seems to be thriving at this time. Twitter and Instagram also seem to be doing very well. But this makes me wonder about other lesser used social platforms, like Pinterest and Tumblr. Are they going to make it?
Since this is all brand new, I suggest looking into the newly started Google My Business Posts, which allows you to get your content out there. It’s not a social network, but it can be used to help you keep your business in the forefront.
You can also look into other free website building programs, like Weebly, Wix and WordPress. And be sure to continue using your social media influencers and keep in close contact with any of your media relationships during this time.