It’s just…a little crush
I will say it right here and right now…I have a crush on Google..Yes…It sounds weird, but I feel so warm inside everytime I see a new Google development. I remember once thinking…”why can’t Google Docs allow owners of a document to chat within the document?” Voila! Earlier this year, I noticed that they implemented that functionality. How awesome was the Google Guitar they placed on their home page a few weeks ago? It makes me blush just to think about it.
To me, it’s almost like they can anticipate every need for functionality or entertainment you have or predict a need you may have in the future. And since it’s all FREE I’ve never felt like I was being marketed a service that I was tricked into thinking I needed. Yes as a marketer, I know that’s sometimes the reality of our field.
In any case, I would just like to take a moment to applaud Google on it’s newest venture Google+. Google+, which is still in beta and viewable by invitation only, purports to act as a substitute for Facebook. Given that Facebook has enjoyed being the top social network for the past few years, it only makes sense that the most popular and innovative web company would take a stab at social networking. Google Buzz, their answer to Twitter, may have fizzled, but if they are able to fill in the gaps Facebook has attempted to fill with various add-ons and changes through the years, they just might have something going! And because its Google, people will at the very least give it a try on credibility alone.
What does it mean for us?
My question is, what are the marketing implications for the industry? While the Facebook ad platform is growing in popularity, its general effectiveness is questionable. Companies currently have to pay for search engine ads AND Facebook ads to ensure maximum online exposure. Will Google+ be the new one stop shop? Can ads served through adwords simply be amended for the Google+ platform? Or will Google pursue this as a separate revenue stream in the future?
Time will tell, but in the mean time, have a look at the newest Google masterpiece as shared by Mashable. I already put in my request for an invite. I look forward to getting a first hand view :)
http://mashable.com/2011/06/28/google-plus/
Author: Taheera Tim Kee
