More conversion loss through device bias: Google Plus programmers knew that their iPad-using customers would be unable to edit their personal profile introductions, so instead of fixing the problem, they omitted the button altogether.
Addition, 10 Dec. 2012:
Google has changed their Plus interface since the publication of this article. It didn't get any better as far as editing goes. One of our commenters, AbstractAbsurd, claims editing now works after splitting the iPad keyboard (iOS 5.x needed). We're investigating and would love impartial test feedback.
The Edit Profile Interface
You may recognise the Edit Profile button when visiting your Personal Profile from within Google Plus:
Edit Profile Button: top right, white text on blue.
Now look at this interface, which shows the same profile to iPad users:
No Edit Profile Button for iPad Users.
Now if you don't know the desktop version, don't know that a button can exist, how would one set about editing one's profile?
We started at the link found underneath the profile. It brought us to Google's Support Information. Well-written and kind, but no points for adequacy. After 3 further clicks, we happened upon this page, which claims editing one's profile is easy:
It's easy: click here.
But following that link just brings us back to the iPad-version of our profile, as shown in the picture above. No Edit button. Anything but "Easy".
Then we remember something unrelated: on other pages, this iPad version of Google Plus sports a link in its footer, allowing us to switch to the desktop version. It adds the query parameter "fd=1", where fd stands for "Force Desktop".
So, we return to the help pages, but instead of following the link to our profile, we copy it and paste it into our browser, adding ?fd=1. That luckily results in the desktop version of our profile, as shown in the first picture, sporting the Edit Profile button we wanted.
Finally, we manage to open an edit window on our profile introduction. It looks like we can edit!
It looks like we can edit.
Helas, foiled again. What looks like a text box, isn't a text box. Ipad users find that it refuses them to select text, position a text cursor, or do anything else. Bazinga? Especially since many of the other pieces of information can be edited, even when using an iPad.
What is the implication of this?
Customers will find themselves unable to adjust their profile information. If they jump through the hoops mentioned in this article, they learn that the Google Plus interface suffers serious usability issues. Also, its managers suffer device bias.
This will result in customers moving away from Google Plus, thus less articles and messages published and read, thus less advertisements shown and viewed, and finally a reduction in profit for Google.
So basically they're saying: we are willing to endure an income cut, instead of investing to provide a decent product for iPad users. Question is: how much of each is happening? Can they measure that at all?
What can Google do?
Since they did invest to create an interface suitable for iPad users, and some other profile info can be edited, it stands to reason they are technically capable of enabling iPad users to edit their profile introduction.
Whether or not they should, depends on the amount of profit they lose, by scaring away customers. They should create a measurement, if they haven't yet.
Categorisation
Because it's firstly iPad users that suffer from Google's choices, but secondly Google itself that will suffer, we will categorize this under:
"Your Money Isn't Good Enough".
Google has changed their Plus interface since the publication of this article. It didn't get any better as far as editing goes. One of our commenters, AbstractAbsurd, claims editing now works after splitting the iPad keyboard (iOS 5.x needed). We're investigating and would love impartial test feedback.
The Edit Profile Interface
You may recognise the Edit Profile button when visiting your Personal Profile from within Google Plus:
Edit Profile Button: top right, white text on blue.
Now look at this interface, which shows the same profile to iPad users:
No Edit Profile Button for iPad Users.
Now if you don't know the desktop version, don't know that a button can exist, how would one set about editing one's profile?
We started at the link found underneath the profile. It brought us to Google's Support Information. Well-written and kind, but no points for adequacy. After 3 further clicks, we happened upon this page, which claims editing one's profile is easy:
It's easy: click here.
But following that link just brings us back to the iPad-version of our profile, as shown in the picture above. No Edit button. Anything but "Easy".
Then we remember something unrelated: on other pages, this iPad version of Google Plus sports a link in its footer, allowing us to switch to the desktop version. It adds the query parameter "fd=1", where fd stands for "Force Desktop".
So, we return to the help pages, but instead of following the link to our profile, we copy it and paste it into our browser, adding ?fd=1. That luckily results in the desktop version of our profile, as shown in the first picture, sporting the Edit Profile button we wanted.
Finally, we manage to open an edit window on our profile introduction. It looks like we can edit!
It looks like we can edit.
Helas, foiled again. What looks like a text box, isn't a text box. Ipad users find that it refuses them to select text, position a text cursor, or do anything else. Bazinga? Especially since many of the other pieces of information can be edited, even when using an iPad.
What is the implication of this?
Customers will find themselves unable to adjust their profile information. If they jump through the hoops mentioned in this article, they learn that the Google Plus interface suffers serious usability issues. Also, its managers suffer device bias.
This will result in customers moving away from Google Plus, thus less articles and messages published and read, thus less advertisements shown and viewed, and finally a reduction in profit for Google.
So basically they're saying: we are willing to endure an income cut, instead of investing to provide a decent product for iPad users. Question is: how much of each is happening? Can they measure that at all?
What can Google do?
Since they did invest to create an interface suitable for iPad users, and some other profile info can be edited, it stands to reason they are technically capable of enabling iPad users to edit their profile introduction.
Whether or not they should, depends on the amount of profit they lose, by scaring away customers. They should create a measurement, if they haven't yet.
Categorisation
Because it's firstly iPad users that suffer from Google's choices, but secondly Google itself that will suffer, we will categorize this under:
"Your Money Isn't Good Enough".
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