Released to a limited number of users on April 2, 2011 and later expanded for the remaining Google account users, Google +1 has introduced another way for users to recommend websites and share their preferences with the rest of the web.
Google +1
from www.google.com/+1/button
April 2011
The Plus One (+1) feature is not an entirely new concept and is very similar to the “Like” button on Facebook. The major difference seems to be the service’s name and the primary platform which it is utilized on. Similar to Facebook, users can use the +1 option to show that they recommend a website, both on Google as well as on the websites that provide the Plus One option through a widget. In order to take advantage of this new feature a user will need to create a Google account.
Once a user establishes a Google account they can begin selecting the +1 option that appears below each of the search results. After a user has placed their stamp of approval on a listing via the Plus One option, it will appear on a new tab in their Google profile. This newly created tab is where a user is able to manage all of the elements that they have chosen to +1. These options include the ability to remove a recommendation and to choose who has the authority to view the items that you have marked as Plus One. The +1 feature enables you to choose whether the +1’s (recommendations) are private, public, or customized to grant permission to specific users.
If a user decides to keep their Plus One item private they will still be added to the number of people who recommend the site however their profile name will remain hidden. For example below a search result it will display “54 people +1’d this” as opposed to their user name plus the number of other people who have chosen the Plus One option. Users will be able to see which of their contacts have recommended the site and have a better idea if the search result is worth looking at.
Although similar to the Facebook “Like” button, Google has been able to efficiently integrate the +1 feature into their Search Engine and presumably into their ranking factor. This feature makes it easier for both the user to find what they are looking for and for Google to assign authority and relevance to a site. Speculation aside, it’s not hard to wonder if Google would place a higher rank on those sites that have more Plus One’s associated with it. Regardless, that it may not be the most original concept, the integration of +1 could prove extremely useful and beneficial to both users and to Google.
Many who choose to shop online do so with the help of customer reviews to help reassure the buying process. The new Plus One feature streamlines this similar process on a larger scale. When a Google account holder performs a search they will potentially know immediately what option is best for them based on the recommendations of other users. After all, it is not uncommon to look to your friends, family, coworkers, and other personal contacts for advice. Plus One provides users with this advice and propels them to more easily find what they are looking for without them having to ask verbally. Since this is a new feature, it hasn’t fully had a chance to gain much ground but it will be interesting to see how it develops and the impact is has on Social Media as well as Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
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Thanks for reading!
Dustin
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Tags: Facebook, Google, Google +1, like, search, search engine, search result, user
