Google+ officially no longer cool

Like any edgy neighborhood homesteaded by hipsters, Google+ is now being gentrified by the "Kids and Cabernet" crowd, according to Experian Hitwise. 

The Internet analyst firm found that "prosperous, middle-aged married couples living child-focused lives in affluent suburbs" make up one of the fastest-growing demographics on the search giant's nacent social network. This "Kids and Cabernet" demographic, as it's described by Hitwise, makes up 2.9 percent of Google+ visits. Sounds small, sure. But consider, that same demographic makes up only .7 percent visits to Facebook.

Meanwhile, as the young upwardly mobile breeders move in, traffic from the Google+ demographic of early adopters — single professionals and college students — has dropped significantly. Which is expected. "It's not uncommon for innovators to trial new services online and in some cases abandon those services when they lose interest," writes Hitwise analyst Bill Tancer.

The Google+ difference is, it's just happening really quickly. "In just over six weeks, we’ve moved from innovators to early adopters to early mainstream users visiting the new social network," Tancer points out.

It's as if a bunch of broke MFAs move into Brooklyn, and six weeks later they're gone and now there's a bunch of Manhattan (i.e. Facebook) ex-pats pushing baby strollers to the brand new Starbucks. You'll get evicted if the landlord finds out you're not using your real name, but hey. At least the rent is the same.

via Experian Hitwise

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 Helen A.S. Popkin goes blah blah blah about the Internet. Tell her to get a real job on Twitter and/or Facebook. Also, Google+.

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