Facebook vs. Google Plus

Facebook, the number one social networking platform on the Internet right now, has some very stiff competition with Google Plus. Google plus, which was recently created just a few months ago, already has over 20 million users. Facebook, which has been around for several years, is used by hundreds of million users. And while Facebook is still in the lead, many people are wondering whether or not Google Plus will eventually outshine Facebook and become the number one social networking platform on the Internet.
What does Facebook offer?

The two different websites both have positive things to offer its users. Facebook is much like an online hangout that allows people to keep in touch with one another even after graduating, moving to another state or even across the world. Facebook keeps families, friends, and acquaintances connected with one another. The “like” feature on Facebook allows users to choose things they like along with their friends statuses and picture updates.
Top Notch Privacy Settings
Facebook recently changed their privacy settings and some love the new change while others are not a fan. While your wall was once visible to everyone, you have the option of making your wall private or semi-private to specific people. Don’t want your family members to see what you are saying in your status update? You can simply block them from being able to view your status updates. It’s quite simple and easy to follow. Facebook privacy settings are definitely great for people who don’t want their information available to random people.

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Networking and Business Friendly
Facebook is not only a good website for people who want to stay connected. It is also perfect for small business owners. Small business owners have the opportunity to build a fan page for their business on Facebook. This page will allow them to keep in touch with customers, customers can leave feedback and comments, the business owners can post pictures of merchandise, take orders, and use the link for their business page on Facebook to spread the word about the business. Facebook is also network-friendly for people who are into networking themselves.
Not So Positive Things About Facebook
While Facebook has a lot of positive features, there are some negative features as well. Facebook is constantly making changes that most people don’t like. In fact, some users have been so upset with the changes that they started their own Facebook page to express their dislike for the new layout and format of the site. While it takes some getting used to, it is not absolutely terrible.
What is worrisome, though, is the fact that many of the Facebook applications and features can find out a lot of your private information, much more than you would be willing to share. Because your private information on Facebook is not really private after all, it may leave you wondering how user friendly Facebook really is.
What does Google Plus offer?

Google Plus, the relatively new social networking platform, has lots to offer its users as well. Google Plus offers video chat to its users. This feature comes in handy for those who would normally use other video chat programs. Now, users are able to stay in touch and chat through video which is quite cool. Google Plus also has a feature that is referred to as Circles which enables you to choose who is in which of your circles. Once you set up who is in your different circles, you get to decide what those people can see on your Google Plus page. Because the site is new, there are still plenty of features to come.

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What are the negative features of Google Plus?
Google Plus users are supposed to use their real name when they sign up. This means your name will be displayed as it actually is. Whereas Facebook gives you the opportunity to use nicknames or fake names, Google Plus wants you to be honest and use your actual birth name. For some people, this is just not good. Google Plus is also relatively new and seems to be a bit too exclusive to some people.
Which Is Better?
As of right now, Facebook is definitely still the better social networking platform out of the two selections. Why is that? Well, as the number one social networking platform, Facebook continues to change with its users. The reason changes are constantly being made on Facebook is because the creators want the website to grow with users instead of users growing out of the Facebook trend. Myspace is another one of the competitors that Facebook is constantly dealing with. At one point, Myspace was the number one social networking platform. Facebook was able to beat Myspace for the lead and is working hard to make sure it keeps that spot and prevent websites such as Myspace and Google Plus from reaching the number one spot.

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Facebook is paying close attention to competitors, especially Google Plus, and is making even more changes to keep up with these other social networking sites. It is obvious that Facebook does not want to lose its number one spot on the list of top social networking sites. As Google Plus grows with its new features, Facebook continues to produce new features as well. This benefits the users much more than it benefits either of the sites. With these two websites in constant competition, they will likely work on making the sites even more user friendly and listen to what user have to say about the site.
If these different social networking platforms are willing to listen to your suggestions and make changes based on what you and others have to say about the website, then that is a good thing. That means that the website actually care about their users and not just making business and money. Even more changes are expected to come for both Facebook and Google Plus. It is hard to say if Facebook will have the number one spot in just a few years from now but with the way they operate, it is quite possible.