Update: Apparently Scoble got it wrong when quoting Horowitz, and he did not actually say that Google+ will never have ads. Scoble said later in a comment on Google+:
Also, sorry to +Bradley Horowitz for getting his quote wrong (apparently he didn’t say they would never put ads on Google+). I’ll work with him to get it fixed up.
A Google spokesperson pointed out this retraction. When asked if it was fair then to assume that Google+ may one day have ads, they said, “I wouldn’t assume anything – we just wanted to be clear that Bradley never made a comment like that.”
Original Article: As previously reported, Google’s Bradley Horowitz announced at LeWeb London that Google+ integration is coming to Flipboard. He reportedly said something else at the event, however, that may be much more significant.
According to Robert Scoble (an avid Google+ user), Horowitz said that “Google+ will never include advertising”.
“Never is a long time, but it’s clear that they want to provide the industry-leading user experience,” Scoble comments in a Google+ update.
It seems almost too hard to believe that Google would never put ads on Google+, given that ads are Google’s primary revenue source, and Google wants to integrate Google+ into nearly every other product it has in more and more ways. Google+ is Google’s way of getting the kind of social data about consumers that have made Facebook’s ads so successful. It’s very surprising that Google would make such a bold claim, even if they don’t have immediate plans to put ads next to your stream.
Surely, many users will be happy to hear it. Will investors?
Here are some of the related comments from readers on Scoble’s post:
Ben Greenwood: “No ads EVER on Google+? I do hope they stick to that.”
Travis Koger: “I have been saying from the beginning that they have no reason to have advertising here. Search is the advertising, along with local when it ramps up more. Search feeds both in and out for G+, therefore there is no reason to add ads here.”
Vuyo Mtoba: “Yay!! No ads. Now that Flipboard is coming to +Android its the right time. Good move Google.”
The point about local is certainly valid. Google did just make local search all about Google+ Local.
The full discussion with Horowitz should be available here soon.