Will youth embrace Google Plus?

Images of young adults feature prominently in Google’s video series promoting Google+, though sometimes accompanied by a wistful voiceover from their elders talking about the old days of social communications.

In the past we have seen the role youth adoption has played in the initial success of social sites like Facebook, Bebo and MySpace. Facebook of course was once just for young people (well, students) and Bebo attracted and retained a dominant core of 14-16-year-old users.

Yet young people did not noticeably advocate Twitter, instead coming to it later to connect with celebrities and heroes – from football players and lead singers to career idols.

So will youth embrace Google+ early – or will they wait with the majority?

For background reading on Google+, check out these slides from Nixon McInnes which give a good skinny and present some varied predictions on its likely impact.

There are some features in Google+ that will appeal significantly to young people.

Of these, the ability to create private groups around interest areas or relationships is the standout feature. This deals with a bug in older versions of social networking that has so far not been fixed: indiscreet broadcasting.

Dad does not need to know how much I’ve just spent on that (yet I want to show off).

Boss will not like how much I drank last night and how long I partied (yet I want to share photos).

The guy/girl I’m interested in is better off not knowing what old schoolmates call me.

Etcetera.

16-24s are generally more sensitive to how they appear to peers and less likely to have the take-me-as-you-see-me confidence that develops later in life.

And they often have a more complex dynamic going on in their, often larger, social networks. The ‘Mum’s on Facebook’ phenomenon has changed their online conversation, just as it does when she rolls up in the offline world (much as they love her).

Google is bang on when it says that the ‘tell all’ nature of our Facebook accounts and Twitter profiles prevents us from sharing more.

However, whether the closed ‘circles’, and other cute features like ‘huddles’ and video hangouts, will bring a stampede of young early adopters remains to be seen. I doubt it.

The perceived headache of migration (and uncertain prospect of mass migration). So far at least, a lack of urgency among weary users. The attitude that this is – perhaps – an improved version of something that already exists, not something completely different and a MUST SEE.

As with Foursquare and Facebook Places and Twitter, young people will only start using once and if they see that significant numbers of their peers are. Or else when the bands or actors or entrepreneurs they want to follow get on board.