New Facebook looks a lot like something else.

Pretty soon this will be what many people see when they log on to Facebook.  For many, this layout should look familiar for two reasons.  The first is the emulation of the mobile layout.  In the image above and below pay special attention the left side of the screen.  There is a new fast-navigation menu that wasn't there before.  Originally, the same items that are in the new menu were in the same place so it isn't a major change, but it just feels more natural to navigate. Granted, I don't use the new menu much, but I use it more than the basic text menu that was there before.

Photos look better in Google Plus too. 

Facebook is now broken into cards.  As you can see from my screenshots, white cards are set against a light gray back ground.  The cards help to break up information overload and give Facebook a cleaner and more intuitive interface. Yet, the new design is oddly reminiscent of another...


One can definitely conclude that Facebook has been using inspiration from  Google's sites to refine its own, but reasoning behind the move isn't quite clear.  According to eMarketer Facebook is still pretty far in the lead as far as membership population and the amount of time spent on their site verses Google Plus.  That's not to say Google Plus isn't a strong contender to be the next best social media platform.  While it may seem like Facebook is the leading social network outside the U.S., Google is having major success worldwide.  Perhaps Facebook felt the heat of competition?

Google Plus is actually really starting to make a move on Facebook.  When it comes to photo sharing, there is a new feature called Auto Awesome that can make photos appear more vivid, create gifs, and more.  Everything on Google Plus is clean and the site seems more user friendly--no paying money to send people not on your friend's list messages. Facebook also recently announced they would be rolling out auto playing video ads in user's newsfeeds too which may send people away.

Obviously, Facebook isn't trying to aid people in transitioning from Facebook to Google Plus, but their latest design might be the death of them. When people become tired of all the intrusive advertisements, what social media platform are they going to go to next?  Probably one that looks a lot like the one they left.  So, while Facebook might be trying to get people from Google Plus, it might actually be pushing more people to Google Plus.

If you're interested in getting the new Facebook layout, click here.