Chalk this up on the list of another one of Google’s products that failed. Well, I wouldn’t call Google Sidewiki a total failure, but rather a Google product that just did not “catch on” with everyone. Google Sidewiki is being closed down, and Google is offering us all a chance to export all of our entries.
To export your Sidewiki entries, go to http://www.google.com/sidewiki/ (which, as of February 2015 has been removed) and follow the instructions. If you wish to export your Sidewiki entries, you will need to do this before December 5, 2011, after which time Google will be discontinuing support for Sidewiki and deleting all content.
Google is sending out emails to all of the Google Sidewiki account holders, reminding us of the fact that it’s being shut down. Here’s a copy of the email I received today:
Personally, I believe that it didn’t catch on with everyone simply because of the fact that it was so difficult to even get to Google Sidewiki. Not only did you have to have the Google Toolbar installed, you had to make sure that it was turned on. Sure, it was an interesting product at first–and could have caught on if it was not so darn tough for the typical Google users to implement and use. One thing that they could have done was to implement Google Sidewiki as part of the organic search results. Perhaps rather then making it so difficult to install and get to, Google Sidewiki could have been implemented as “reviews” are implemented for local businesses.
In any event, Google Sidewiki is being closed down. Here are the instructions for exporting your entries:
How to export your Sidewiki contributions
After December 5, 2011 Sidewiki will be closed down and all content will be deleted. To keep your Sidewiki contributions you must export them before December 5, 2011. You can do this by following these instructions:
1. Sign in to your Google account
2. Go to All my entries to see all your Sidewiki content created by you
3. Save the page on your computer and check that the saved page is readable
So many people think of Google as being a powerhouse on the Internet. And we sometimes forget that Google isn’t always the incredible company that we think that they are–Google has product failures. And Google Sidewiki is one of them.