Google +1 Button, Do you need any more proof that social signals are being used?
The 1st June 2011, marked the launch of the Google +1 button. It’s basically Google’s version of the Facebook Like button.
Google is desperate to get a share of the social media market. Currently Facebook and YouTube top it and Google realise they need to do something about it! The +1 button is all about sharing a recommendation with your friends, family and the rest of the world. But there is no question that Google is using this to give you personalized search results. If one of your “friends” has +1’d a website then Google believes you are more likely to be interested in that website than any other in the category you are searching they call it Google social search. And it doesn’t stop there, it’s clear that Google will be using social media tracking on this as one of the many algorithms to power the organic listings, as per their statement found on their social connections post:-
“Occasionally, you might see +1 annotations from people that you don’t know. (Even though you’re not connected to a person, it doesn’t mean their recommendation isn’t valuable!) Similarly, your +1’s may be shown to people outside of your social connections.”
You can see the official Google +1 video here.
It’s worth noting that the +1 button is only available on Google.com for now, but is due to be rolled out across the globe soon, however there is nothing to stop you getting ahead of the game and installing the +1 button onto your website now and clocking up the numbers!
It’s so easy to install the button on to your website, and the button simply uses the HREF as defined in the +1 parameters, the canonical tag or simply the URL of the page as found in the DOM.
So make sure your website pages are being +1’d right now! Create yourself a Google profile, connect your social accounts, add some friends as getting into Social Media for Small Business is not something you should consider it’s something you have to do!
Whilst writing it’s worth mentioning the new follow button from Twitter, a simply one click button compared to the two clicks previously, Twitter is aiming to shave off seconds by making social discovery as easy as a click of a button! You can see it here, oh and if you don’t follow me already – CLICK IT!!
For further advice on social media for business and much more contact Top 5 New Social Sites – Have you heard about them?
I get it but how does Google know your friends? Does it search through existing social networks?
Oliver
Hi,
Yeah you can connect your current social networks to your Google profile and it can then see your friends, also if you use Gmail it uses your contacts….
For more info on this visit
http://www.google.com/support/websearch/bin/answer.py?answer=1067707
anything else please ask!
Jonny
[…] Google +1 Button, Do you need any more proof that social signals are being used? […]
[…] nothing new, this is Google trying to get us on Google Plus and I’ve been saying this for months (G+ and mobile!), and whether we like it or not, if you don’t you will be left […]
[…] have long been an advocate of the potential of Google+. Since Google added the “+1″ social signal button to its Google+ platform, I now make […]
I get it but how does Google know your friends? Does it search through existing social networks?
Oliver
Hi,
Yeah you can connect your current social networks to your Google profile and it can then see your friends, also if you use Gmail it uses your contacts….
For more info on this visit
http://www.google.com/support/websearch/bin/answer.py?answer=1067707
anything else please ask!
Jonny
[…] Google +1 Button, Do you need any more proof that social signals are being used? […]
[…] nothing new, this is Google trying to get us on Google Plus and I’ve been saying this for months (G+ and mobile!), and whether we like it or not, if you don’t you will be left […]
[…] have long been an advocate of the potential of Google+. Since Google added the “+1″ social signal button to its Google+ platform, I now make […]