Dive Brief:
- Earlier this week, Google announced that a Google+ account will now be required to post comments on YouTube and Blogger.
- Users will now see comments ranked by Google+, meaning any friends will show up first in comments sections.
- The move will beef up the tech giant's ad targeting operations by bringing in data from a wider audience, who must now sign up for Google+ to make full use of YouTube.
Dive Insight:
This is a smart move for Google, as YouTube's active user base was far beyond that of G+. Tying YouTube activity to Google+ accounts will allow the search giant to gather even more information on user habits. The likelihood that the move will draw more public figures—and the "regular" people who follow them—to the platform is just icing on the cake.