If you have not heard of it already, Google has launched a new direct competitor to Facebook Like button. It’s called +1 (plus one).
I enabled it on my blog immediately after Google released +1 publicly. I want to know if my blog would get more visitors if this button is on my blog since Google is using social signals like recommendations, likes, and tweets. It only requires user to setup their Google account and privacy settings before using +1 button.
Here’s a short pitch of what Google +1 is for:
+1 is as simple on the rest of the web as it is on Google search. With a single click you can recommend that raincoat, news article or favorite sci-fi movie to friends, contacts and the rest of the world. The next time your connections search, they could see your +1’s directly in their search results, helping them find your recommendations when they’re most useful.
Twitter is used as a metric in link popularity. I’m not sure about Facebook Like but as Google +1 gets bigger share on link recommendations, the more important sharing on Twitter, Liking on Facebook and +1-ing on Google will be. Just look at how my blog entries appear from Google search:
In my opinion, it is somewhat too late for Google to enter the social media game because Facebook had left Google in the dust already on this space. Remember how Buzz failed? I still hate how invasive it is on my inbox. It’s still on my Gmail inbox and Reader but I totally ignore it.
One thing I like about Google +1 is there is an opt-out for +1 personalization.
You can choose whether Google may use your +1′s and other profile information to personalize your content and ads on non-Google websites. Enabling +1 on non-Google sites does not share your information or your friends’ information with the site you’re viewing.
On the second thought, if people can +1 links anonymously then a group of spammers or +1 brigade can skew the numbers of +1′s on targeted links. Maybe Google can still detect abnormal activities but this could be something that is yet to be seen.
To wrap it up I think I like Google +1 so far because it is far more compelling than Google Buzz. Watch the video below after the break.
