Is Google trying to take on Pinterest?
Google has added a new feature to Google+ that sounds kind of familiar.
Google describes "Collections" as a place where you can "group your posts by topic," "start collections for your interests," and "get found" by followers -- all of which could already be said about Pinterest.
"It looks like they're copying Pinterest," said CNET's Bridget Carey. "Google might be taking a direction that is copying other networks like they've done before because they're just really desperate right now to get people to come to Google Plus."
The search giant's social media platform hasn't gotten the kind of traction of other sites, namely Facebook and Twitter, where people are more likely to share links and status updates. The creation of Collections seems like a clear attempt to squeeze into Pinterest's space, letting people create scrapbooks of sorts for public, private or semi-private view.
But can Google really compete with Pinterest? Currently valued at $11 billion, the five-year-old picture sharing site boasts in the neighborhood of 80 million unique monthly visitors.
"It'll be interesting to see how people use it differently," Carey said.
People are already using Google as a place to store their own photos, which means Collections could go in a more personal direction than boards on Pinterest, where users are pinning other people's content, sharing recipes and saving wedding inspirations. Carey posited that Collections might offer an opportunity to display your own information, tied to your real name, and could perhaps be valuable for professional networking.
That, or Collections could just be another failed attempt at making Google Plus a truly relevant social network.