Google+ is a-growing. Well, that’s according to one researcher, who believes it has hit 10 million users already.
Paul Allen, founder of Ancestery.com, claims Google+ social connections currently stands at 7.3 million members (since July 10th) and will hit its 10 millionth users on July 12, according to his mathematical calculations.
But even so, it still has to get 740 million more to catch up to Facebook (so it’s safe to say Mark Zuckerberg won’t be having sleepless nights, just yet.)
Writing on a Google+ blog, Allen says: “By using a sample of 100-200 surnames, I am able to accurately estimate the total percentage of the US population that has signed up for Google+. Then I use that number and a calculated ratio of US to non-US users to generate my worldwide estimates.”
Allen estimates the US to non-US users to be 1: 2.12, although admits he hasn’t updated his calculations in over a week.
“My ratio is 1 U.S. user for every 2.12 non-U.S. users. That ratio was calculated on July 4th through a laborious effort, and I haven’t updated it since. That is definitely a weakness in my model that I hope to address soon. The ratio will likely change over time.”
However, no peep out of Google who has yet to confirm the official numbers.
And Allen is not the only tech head to be impressed with Google’s answer to social networking, launched just two weeks ago – Bill Gross, founder and CEO of technology incubator Idealab is also similarly enthusiastic, predicting the super sized growth prospects of 100 million users.
“I predict that Google+ will go from 0 to 100,000,000 users faster than any other service in history,” he believes. Facebook’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently said it has hit 750 million users worldwide, since its launch in 2004.
“The service is great. It is timely. People are engaging with it like crazy.”
“The next year will tell. Will there be bumps in the road? Sure. Will Facebook and Twitter fight back with more innovation? Of course! But I’m saying that Google+ is already good enough, and the team on Google+ is being so responsive in a way that makes me believe they have a real winner here,” Gross added.
I’m sure Zuckerberg thinks the prospect of Google + 100 million is just Gross.
