Google Redesigns Their “+1″ Button. Makes It Less Flashy, And Less Noticeable.
I’m not sure if Google realizes this, but their new design of the +1 button actually makes it harder to see, and less noticeable. The button began with a variety of styles, all which included bright colors that stood out and was easier to see on a website.
The new design, which you can see to the left of the site here (and in the photo below), removes the flashiness of the +1 button, and replaces it with something that blends in a little more. Bright buttons, like the bright blue of the facebook button, the blue bird of the twitter button, and the yellow of the Digg button, allow users to see it, and click it. The change does include a red/orange-ish logo, but it’s not bright. It doesn’t stand out (to me).
Social networks have been moving to this silver/gray look and feel to their sites lately though, and this move does that eve more. The button also has noticeable curved corners.
I personally think the redesign will likely hurt user interaction a little on their already slacking social network attempt. I wonder why they did this? Maybe it’s just me, but this doesn’t seem like all that good of a move.
After you press the button, or if you’ve already +1′d a post, the button will then turn red (which then stands out). This seems a bit backwards when it comes to getting people’s attention.
One positive thing about their changes today, is that users will get to see who’s also +1′d it, just like Facebook. Perhaps this will help a little, but who knows. I hope Google Plus takes off, but I’m still not convinced that it’ll be the success that Google is hoping for just yet.
Also… I doubt there is a single instance on the web in which 86,000 people have +1′d something.
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