What Was Google Plus? The Rise and Fall of Google's Social Network

By Shane Snyman, JWD Website Design Updated 25 September 2026

Ever heard someone mention “Google+” and wondered what it was? For a few years it was Google’s big bet on social media, widely seen as its answer to Facebook. It launched in 2011 to a lot of excitement and closed to the public in 2019. Here is a quick, plain-English trip through what it was, what went wrong, and the one lesson from it that still matters for any business with an online presence.

So, What Exactly Was Google Plus?

Google+ (usually said “Google Plus”) was a social network that sat on top of your Google Account, the same account you use for Gmail and YouTube. You could post updates, photos and links, follow people and join communities. Businesses could also create Google+ pages to share news with followers.

Its big idea was that you do not share everything with everyone. Instead, you chose exactly which groups of people saw each post.

The Features People Remember

Circles: you sorted your contacts into groups, such as family, friends or work colleagues, and chose which circle saw each post. Your boss did not have to see your holiday photos.
Hangouts: group video calls and chat, built into the network. Hangouts later became a separate product and has since been replaced by Google Chat and Google Meet. Google redirected Hangouts to Google Chat from 1 November 2022.
The +1 button: Google’s version of a “like”, which appeared on Google+ posts and on websites across the internet.

A Quick Timeline

2011: launch by invitation

Google announced Google+ on 28 June 2011 as an invitation-only field test. On 20 September 2011 it opened to everyone aged 18 and over (Wikipedia summary of the launch).

2013: the YouTube comments row

To grow the network, Google linked Google+ to its other products. The best-known example came in November 2013, when commenting on YouTube videos started to require a Google+ profile. Many YouTube users were unhappy, and the change drew a loud backlash (CNN, 8 November 2013). Lots of people ended up with Google+ profiles they never actually used.

2015: Google steps back

In July 2015 Google announced that a Google Account would be all you needed to create a YouTube channel and use its other products, so a Google+ profile was no longer required. YouTube was one of the first products to drop the link.

2018: low use and a data bug

On 8 October 2018 Google announced it would close consumer Google+. It gave two reasons. First, usage was low: Google said 90 percent of Google+ user sessions lasted less than five seconds. Second, it had found and fixed a bug in a Google+ developer tool (an API) that could have given outside apps access to profile data from up to 500,000 accounts. In December 2018 Google reported a second API bug that affected about 52.5 million users, and brought the shutdown forward from August 2019 to April 2019.

2019: consumer Google+ closes

Consumer Google+ shut down on 2 April 2019. Content from personal Google+ accounts and Google+ pages was deleted. Other Google products, such as Gmail, YouTube, Drive and Photos, carried on as normal.

2023: the last piece goes

A version of Google+ for businesses and schools, later renamed Google Currents, kept running inside organisations for a few more years. It was shut down in 2023, with its communities moved to spaces in Google Chat.

Why Did Google+ Fail?

There is no single official post-mortem, but the public record points to a few clear problems:

People did not use it much. Google’s own figure, that 90 percent of sessions lasted under five seconds, says it all. Most people already had their friends and family on other networks and had no strong reason to move.
Pushing people in backfired. Tying Google+ to YouTube comments created lots of accounts but not much activity, and it annoyed users.
The data bugs sealed it. With low engagement already, the security problems gave Google a reason to close the consumer product rather than fix and relaunch it.

The Business Lesson: Do Not Build on Land You Rent

Plenty of businesses set up Google+ pages, posted regularly and built up followers. When the consumer network closed in 2019, those pages, posts and followers were deleted. The businesses had no say in it.

That is the real takeaway. Any platform you do not own can change its rules, cut your reach or close completely: social networks, marketplaces, even online shop platforms. Use them to reach people, by all means, but keep a home base that is yours:

Your own website on your own domain, where your content, contact details and enquiry forms live.
Your own contact list, so you can reach customers without asking a platform’s permission.
Links from your social profiles back to your site, so followers become visitors you can keep.

We cover the same idea for online sellers in our guide to selling on TikTok Shop versus running your own store. The platforms change; your own site stays put as long as you keep it.

Frequently Asked Questions

When did Google+ shut down?

The consumer version of Google+ shut down on 2 April 2019. The business and school version, later called Google Currents, was shut down in 2023.

Why did Google shut down Google+?

Google cited low usage, saying 90 percent of user sessions lasted less than five seconds, along with bugs in a Google+ developer API that could have exposed profile data. The second bug, found in late 2018, led Google to bring the shutdown forward to April 2019.

Can I still see my old Google+ profile or posts?

No. Google deleted content from consumer Google+ accounts and Google+ pages after the shutdown.

What happened to Google Hangouts?

Hangouts was replaced by Google Chat and Google Meet. From 1 November 2022, Hangouts on the web redirected to Google Chat.

Did the shutdown affect Gmail or YouTube?

No. Google confirmed that products such as Gmail, YouTube, Drive and Photos were not removed as part of the Google+ shutdown, and your Google Account carried on working.

Build Something You Own

Social platforms come and go. A website on your own domain is the one place online where you set the rules. JWD builds custom static, WordPress and custom CMS websites for South African businesses, from a 1 to 3 page custom static site at R2,500 to a 3 to 5 page WordPress site at R4,000. Not sure which type suits you? Our comparison of static, WordPress and custom CMS websites explains the difference, or you can request a free quote.