elysium: Google Steps into Social Media (again) with +1

What is +1?

Recently Google has added on to their Social Search functionality by adding a little box called +1 (pronounced Plus One) next to their search results. This button essentially allows users to recommend search results to their friends. According to Google, a select group of users will now see a +1 next to search listings if they are logged in.

If you decide to click the +1 button, Google will alert your social network that you have +1’d the result. As more of the people in your social circle recommend the result, Google will show you the listings that your friends have endorsed on the search results page.

But why do we want to know what our friends have liked? Seeing results that your friends have recommended adds credibility to the search results as well as the website. This is no different than world of mouth, except on a much larger scale. "The primary benefit is that search gets better. It gets better in the user interface immediately, and we’ll look at it as a potential signal to improve search quality as well. I find social search extremely useful, especially with the recent updates. This change continues the evolution of social search, and it’s a natural progression to improve the search experience,” said Matt Cutts”

Google’s +1 for AdWords

In addition to adding the +1 button to organic listings, paid ads will also be included. This feature enables users to favorite ads and their preference will be shown to their social network as well.

How will this affect advertisers?

Right now it’s too soon to tell as this has not rolled out to the public, but Google has stated that:

All ads will be getting these buttons
There’s no way for advertisers to turn them off
Clicks on the +1 button next to ads do NOT count as a paid ad click
Advertisers will be able to see stats about which ads are getting the most +1s

What this indicates is that it is more important than ever to maintain an online relationship with your customers. As users get the options to favorite ads and listings, the more potential influence they have over their social networks decision process. Continuing to maintain an open dialogue with your customers online is key to fostering a positive relationship with your brand. Being accessible and open to criticism from consumers as well as praise will be essential to your social media strategy.

What constitutes the “social circle”?

Currently Google has comprised a user’s “social network” from their contacts on Google based services, like Gmail as well as connections on third-party sites such as Twitter. If you’re wondering who exactly is in your “social network” you can view your connections here.

When will I see the +1 button?

Not seeing the +1 button on your search results? Not to worry. For now, only a small percentage of Google users are seeing the button by default. If you would like to opt-in to the experiment now, turning on the +1 Button is very easy. Just select the option to join the experiment on Google Experimental and you’re good to go.