Friday Apr 13th, 2012

Google announced last Wednesday that it is rolling out a significant redesign for its social networking platform Google+, with many components aligning with features of much loved platforms Facebook and Twitter. The company have introduced a variety of new features, from customisined apps and a navigation bar to more flexibility with profile pages and pictures. In addition, the update introduced a new Explore page that posts what’s interesting and trending across the site.

Google+ will now offer profile pages that will include bigger photos, similar to Facebook’s Timeline, and feature a chat list that puts friends front and center on your page. Another major update involves how users can navigate around the news stream. Instead of static icons at the top, there’s a ribbon of apps on the left. The ribbon allows users to drag apps up or down to create the order, hover over certain apps to reveal a set of quick actions and show or hide apps by moving them out of the section.

A dedicated Hangouts page has also been added to the site, so people can have quick access to public and On Air video chat hangouts. This will allow Google+ users to meet new people and watch live broadcasts, as well as enter new rooms via a rotating billboard of Hangouts.

What do you think of the redesign? Do you think Google+ will ever be able to compete with Facebook and Twitter in the healthcare space?  To date, uptake by Pharma has been limited. The Roche page is only in 2o2  this people circles at this stage.