Google +1 = Social

Google’s hold over the search world is significant and everyone understands the term 'to be Googled'. They have built a massive business on their ability to index the world’s information and render it on demand along with Ad Words and other advertising revenues. Now Microsoft has taken an anti-competition complaint against them to the European Commission.

In a detailed blog, Microsoft's general counsel, Brad Smith, outlined the Microsoft's claims that Google used its dominant position in the search market to restrict the growth of Microsoft services:

• Using technical measures to stop Microsoft's search engine Bing from indexing content on Google-owned YouTube.
• Blocking Microsoft Smartphones from operating properly with YouTube.
• Controlling access to online copies of out-of-copyright books.
• Limiting the ability of businesses to reclaim "their own information" generated through Google advertising campaigns for use elsewhere.
• Compelling leading websites to only use Google search boxes on their pages.

But search by itself may not be enough in today's socially connected world. So it’s interesting that on the same day that they are accused of abusing their search domination we have Google settling an FTC complaint over their faile social network service ‘Buzz’ . According to the settlement, Google will have an outside privacy audit biennially for the next 20 years, and won’t use personal data it collected for one purpose for another without permission. More interesting however, is its fresh attempt to muscle into the social network scene and take on Facebook.



Google has now embarked copying the ‘like’ features of Facebook in order to add a social element to its core search service. It’s new ‘+1’ buttons will appear next to its search results and adverts and will enable users to signal personal preferences that would then appear in other search results seen by their friends. With +1, anyone with a Google account can register a vote of approval, which can then be seen by other searchers.

Google explained in a blog post :
When you do a search, you may now see a +1 from your slalom-skiing aunt next to the result for a lodge in the area. Or if you’re looking for a new pasta recipe, we’ll show you +1’s from your culinary genius college roommate. And even if none of your friends are baristas or caffeine addicts, we may still show you how many people across the web have +1’d your local coffee shop.

Google state that the vote currently will not change advertisement positioning or cost. Google appear to be trying to get users to create a public page and identify services that work with that page and then they have a reverse built social network which supports advertising growth.

Facebook Now Top of the Pops In US

Social networking website Facebook continues to grow and surpass all expectations. In the week ending 13th March it became the most visited website in the US, getting more hits on its home page than even Google’s search engine! This is a grow of some 185% over the same week last year compared to Google’s 9% grow over the same period. Facebook understandably reached the number one position over the Christmas holidays and the the March 6th and 7th weekend and is clearly on a roll.

Research company Hitwise.com also claim that Google and Facebook now account for 14% of all US internet access. The Hitwise figures for all Google sites which include Maps, YouTube, Gmail etc account for around 11% of US visist last week with Yahoo sites accounting for around 12% and 7% for Facebook.

This clearly demonstrated that the web is moving from a search and discover surfing tool into a more social networking one and Facebook has clearly taken the pole position over its many rivals. The question now is whether its popularity is sustainable. The effort its users are investing in posting their details, connecting and communicating would indicate that it can only grow. The investment in its growth is not from within but clearly from its members. Will such a service become a true social hub which usurps the twitters and negates much email as we know it today? Are we finally seeing the true social network evolve by organic means? Its interesting that we still see social networking as a service alongside and competing with others but not as the service supported by others. The one other question is what the relationship will be between the app world and the social network world?

Facebook is now beginning to cash in on its success and this year its estimated revenues are between $1bn to $1.5bn. This may appear to be very small in comparison to Google’s last year’s revenues of $23.7bn, but it’s a great start and heading only one way. Google has launched its own social network site ’Buzz’ but has already had many questioning whether its safe to put all your personal, social, search details into one company whose business is about exploiting information through advertising.

See comments for links to stories about MySpace

Googleworld Gets Buzzing

Google has launched its Gmail-based social network platform called Google Buzz.
The network will compete head to head with the likes of Facebook and Twitter and of course will be fully connected to everything Google including your movements, thoughts, friends, searches and whatever. Is it me or does Googleworld start to become a little potentially eveil in its reach and knowledge?

Buzz will club the 175 Gmail users together and integrate with Flickr, Google’s YouTube and the various other Google platforms, mobiles and Twitter. You don’t have to leave Google world as the track your every movement and click.

Updates will be flagged directly in the user’s Gmail inbox and profile page and a mobile version of the platform will incorporate location-based services so a user’s update will be tagged with their current location and users will also be able to search for updates from people nearby.

Google is now planning an enterprise version of Buzz, aimed at businesses using its Apps platform.
What do they want to be when they grow up?