Should Small Businesses Be Paying Attention to Google+?
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by: iinanking
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Word Count: 502
Date: Fri, 8 Jul 2011 Time: 5:53 PM
Google’s ambitions to become a major player in the social media realm have been apparent for quite some time now. The world received a reminder last year when the diverse internet powerhouse launched its social messaging tool Buzz, and again with the release of the +1 button a few months ago. It looks as if the Mountain View, California-based company has decided to go all out as Google+, its very own social networking site, was recently announced. As one of the most powerful forces in the digital channel, this is an interesting concept small businesses definitely want to pay attention to.
What’s Up with Google+
When Google Buzz hit the scene in 2010, it instantly drew comparisons to Facebook despite not necessarily being a social network in the traditional sense. The +1 button’s March 2011 launch was surrounded by comparisons to the Facebook Like button due to all the similarities. While the comparisons may have been warranted, Google+ may be Google’s most serious threat to Facebook and others in the social space thus far. Reports from early testers revealed that the new social network carries an eerie resemblance to Facebook. This is not all that surprising when considering that many of the social networks are very similar in nature and thus, functionality as well. However, Google’s version does have some elements that give it a unique quality.
From what we currently know, Google + is comprised of several key components, including a feature known as Circles. What Circles does is allow you to separate your contacts in groups such as friends, family, and co-workers. With this feature, small businesses can share important information with specific groups of people instead of sharing with everyone at once. Another interesting component is Sparks, a built-in recommendation engine that allows you to share and discover content you find interesting. This particular feature is based on Google’s algorithm technology and tied to some of its existing search and social products.
Other interesting components include, Hangouts, a group video chat feature that allows you to communicate with up to 10 people at once, an image editing tool for uploading and managing photos, and Huddle, a group texting feature based on the concept behind apps such as Beluga. Google+ is also coming to the Android platform as an app, which could make it even more valuable for small businesses looking to incorporate both social and mobile in their marketing strategy.
Conclusion
Google has been incredibly busy over the last year or so. The company has introduced a number of new concepts and undergone some major internal changes that could possibly shape the future of its existence. How will all this activity impact Google+ and its status in the world of social networking? Only time will tell. The project appears to have a lot going for it, but as we all know, today’s social media space is extremely competitive and headed up by parties that look almost indestructible at the moment.
About the Author
Nan King, a tech geek and environmentalist at heart, is an advocate of business email marketing strategies that encompass the use of an email marketing company which is permission based.
