Yesterday, Google rolled out yet another new feature for Google+ that lets you start a conversation directly from search results - and contribute to a topical Google+ stream.
In a post on Google+ (of course), associate product manager Alex Unger said that if you search for a keyword of phrase like basketball from within Google+, you can then create a post directly from the results shown.
He added that all you need to do is look for the share box, and you’ll see an opportunity to “join the discussion” about whatever you’ve searched for.
This means that when you post from the search results page, it automatically includes a link back to the original search stream. This way others can join the active conversation as it unfolds.”
This is yet another move to position Google+ as a central hub – as well as more closely connecting search and social functions.
Up until the announcement of this new feature, you could only comment on an existing post or share an item when searching for something on Google+.
This now removes one step in the search and share process, which makes it easier to start a conversation and keeps people in the Google loop.
Watch out, Facebook. Google is making its own game for Google+ … and it involves maps.
Yesterday, the company released a video of the new game, which takes advantage of its Google Maps product. The video shows a cube with a map overlay. A small blue ball travels through the map based on the spinning and tilting of the cube. Judging by the video, it seems players will have to move through the map, hitting certain destinations to collect points along the way. When a destination is hit, a small piece of information about the place pops up, then you can go on to your next.
Google introduced games to its social network Google+ in August. Facebook, Google+’s major competitor, integrated gaming applications onto its platform long ago and has made a very successful business of it. In fact, Zynga, now a social gaming powerhouse with titles like Castleville and Farmville, recently debuted as a public company on the Nasdaq. Google+ didn’t wait the shadows for too long, however, and quickly attracted big gaming companies such as PopCap and Zynga to its own social network.
More at: http://venturebeat.com/2012/01/11/google-plus-maps-game/?obref=obinsite
In what may be a first, Cadbury UK has used Google+ to introduce a new product.
“Remember this moment: the first time Cadbury revealed a new product on Google+,” the brand wrote on its Google+ Page Wednesday afternoon. “The delicious new Dairy Milk Bubbly, available with milk or white bubbles [pictured], will be the first of many we hope!”
About 2,200 people have the brand in their circles.
Cadbury didn’t use Google+ exclusively. The brand also tweeted about it. There is currently no mention of the product introduction on Cadbury UK’s Facebook Page, which has about 77,000 fans.
More at: http://mashable.com/2012/01/11/cadbury-uk-uses-google-for-product-launch/
Viewable in full here: http://s3.amazonaws.com/theoatmeal-img/blog/google_plus_lion1.jpg
Google is to ease restrictions on brand engagement on its social media start up Google+ following a stronger than expected launch.
Previously brands which had created Google+ accounts had been deleted by Google on grounds that the service was strictly for use of individuals only until proper brand support was built in.
Now however the search firm has had second thoughts and is in fact allowing brands which have created accounts to keep their presence in place, so long as a person is assigned to the account.
The change of heart comes amidst plans to re-think their engagement with brands as the service grows to become a meaningful driver of web traffic.
It follows a period of confusion in which several major brands to have established a presence on the platform, including Ford and Mashable, were first deleted and then reinstated.More at: http://www.thedrum.co.uk/news/2011/07/22/23931-google-relaxes-brand-ban-amidst-confusion/
“Facebook investors and employees will be very happy to see that the vast majority of their active users are happy at Facebook, and most of them haven’t even heard of Google+ yet,” writes Allen. “So even though Google’s growth is staggering, there is a huge loyal Facebook following who may not see a need to switch,” he says.
Google Plus’s estimated 20 million also pales in comparison to Facebook’s 750 million, half of which still log on to Facebook any given day. Google Plus, meanwhile, is seeing a lot of engagement too, but it’s still the new shiny toy of the Internet digerati, who often glom onto and obsess over the latest hip service until an even hipper one comes around.
But Google knows it needs to make Google Plus a regular habit once the new car smell wears off. According to Mark Striebeck, Google’s Engineering Manager for Gmail, the company is planing to integrate the service into Gmail (and wants your ideas for that). While Google’s previous attempt at merging social with Gmail (i.e. Google Buzz) was essentially a failure, Gmail could still serve as a large built-in user base for the emerging social network, assuming the integrations are thoughtful, useful and capable of enhancing the core Gmail offering itself.
Current estimates put the Gmail user base at around 200 million. Although not all Gmail users will join Google Plus, it’s a large, captive market for Google to get its hooks in. And yet, even if all 200 million Gmailers joined Google Plus, it would not even be half the size, or a third of the size of Facebook. It’s no wonder why Google’s strategy is to be just “another” social networking service, instead of a “Facebook killer.”
Most “average users” are locked into Facebook and aren’t willing to consider a new social tool until they hear about it from their friends. Since most of the people who are on Google+ so far are geeks, insiders, social media stars, journalists, and other people (Google admitted tonight they are only accepting people who have strong social graphs so that they can both make sure everyone has a good first experience as well as test out some of the technology before opening it up to a wider audience) the chances normal people (metaphorically speaking, your mom) won’t hear about Google+ from normal users for quite a while.
By then I’m sure Facebook will react (ie, copy) Google+’s best features (Facebook already has called a press conference for next week where they are going to announce something “awesome”). This will mean that normal users, who aren’t really going to get involved at this point in Google+’s life, won’t feel the need to switch.
So, what is Google+ for then?
It’s for us!
Come on now, we geeks and early adopters and social media gurus need a place to talk free of folks who think Justin Bieber is the second coming of Christ. That’s what we have in Google+ right now. Do we really want to mess that up?
