Google+

Driving Engagement for Google+

Online Ads & Social Production Manager

Led European production for a £6M Google+ Digital Campaign aimed at increasing platform adoption and engagement, partnering with brands like One Direction, Jessie J, Topshop, and H&M to create exclusive content.

Technology

Challenge

In 2013, Google+ entered a highly competitive social media market dominated by established platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. As a new entrant, Google+ needed to differentiate itself while also navigating unique regional challenges in Europe to drive user adoption and engagement.

Key challenges included:

Establishing a Presence in a Saturated Market
With social media usage dominated by well-established platforms, Google+ faced significant barriers to entry. Convincing users to adopt a new platform required high-impact content and engagement strategies that could set Google+ apart.
Overcoming Brand Awareness Gaps in Europe
In several European regions, Google+ lacked brand recognition compared to more mature social media platforms. Building awareness and trust within these markets was essential to attract and retain users.
Competing for User Attention & Engagement
Google+ needed to capture users’ interest and encourage active engagement in a market where users were already deeply invested in other social networks. The challenge was to provide exclusive content and unique experiences that could entice users to spend time on Google+.
Ensuring Regional Relevance & Cultural Fit
The diversity of European markets required a tailored approach that could appeal to regional tastes and preferences. Localisation of content, language, and engagement strategies was essential to create a relevant user experience across Europe.

Response

As Production Manager at AKQA, Adeeb Khan led the execution of a high-impact, multi-channel digital campaign designed to increase engagement and adoption for Google+. He introduced a streamlined production methodology, coordinated with key stakeholders, and led a cross-functional team to ensure seamless campaign delivery.

Transformation & Value Creation

The campaign achieved high-impact delivery through a structured production approach, cross-functional alignment, and effective localisation across European markets.

Increased Platform Adoption & Engagement
Successfully drove awareness and engagement for Google+, leveraging exclusive content from popular brands to attract new users and encourage active platform usage.
Stakeholder Alignment
Built strong relationships with European Google marketing teams, managing cross-functional coordination and ensuring that all campaign assets met Google’s high standards for quality and consistency across channels.
Ad Delivery & Localisation
Coordinated the localisation of dynamic ads (Adobe Flash & Google Sheets) in multiple languages, improving regional relevance and reach. This approach ensured that the campaign resonated with diverse audiences across Europe, enhancing engagement and adoption.
Production Efficiency
Implemented Agile Kanban production processes that streamlined project tracking and task prioritisation, significantly improving collaboration across teams and achieving faster delivery times for content updates.
Team Leadership & Collaboration
Managed a cross-functional team of 15 digital experts including User Experience, Content, Design, Development delivering impactful campaigns.

Conclusion

This engagement positioned Google+ as a competitive platform within the social media landscape, driving significant engagement and adoption through exclusive content partnerships and a streamlined production approach. By delivering high-quality, localised digital campaigns across Google’s ecosystem, the project helped establish Google+ as a relevant player in the European market and laid a foundation for continued growth. This campaign also highlighted the power of coordinated, data-driven digital production strategies in accelerating platform adoption and user engagement.

Skills & Expertise

Strategic, leadership and technical competencies applied to this engagement.

  • Compliance & Quality Management
    • Quality Assurance (QA)
  • Data & Insights
    • Data Analytics & Insights
  • Experience Design
    • A/B Testing
    • Feedback Loops
    • Interaction Design (IxD)
    • Prototyping & Wireframing
    • User Research
  • Operations & Process Optimisation
    • Agile Methodologies
    • Project Management
  • Sales & Marketing
    • Account Management
    • Content Marketing
    • Digital Marketing (SEO, Social Media, Email, PPC)
  • Strategy & Product Management
    • Go-To-Market Strategy
    • Performance Measurement & Analytics
    • Vendor Management
  • Technology
    • Front-End Frameworks
Platforms & Systems

Responsible platforms, systems, products, and technologies.

  • Adobe Flash
  • Atlassian Confluence
  • Atlassian Jira
  • Google DoubleClick
  • Google Sheets