Some may argue with me when I say this, but Google knows search. It understands it inside and out and it does search better than most other sites on the internet. Google also does well with it’s apps and I have to say the Droid platform is decent to work with on a smart phone (I had a Motorola Droid, but switched to the iPhone when Verizon offered it).
However, watching Google attempt to do “Social Media”, yet again, is just utterly painful.
Google +1
The announcement yesterday of the launching of +1 was met with broken embargoes and reporters scrambling to be the first to report about yet another “new” social media ephinany from Google. Trouble is, as online marketers, we’ve been down this road before with Google. In a way watching Google try and catch Facebook in Social Media is a lot like watching Microsoft try and catch Google in search.
...[it's] like letting the most awkward social retard in college try run a dating service…. – Fantomaster*
For all those joining in late to the online marketing industry and think that Google’s +1 is going to be a “Facebook Killer”, we’ll have to introduce you to the many failed attempts by Google to join in the social media connectedness game so you can get a better understanding, it really isn’t:
- Orkut (yes, it’s still active in Iran & Brazil)
- Knoll
- Search Wiki
- Side Wiki
- Wave (it’s dead dead dead)
- and soon to be Buzz
There’s a reason why Facebook is ahead in this race. Facebook understands that people want to connect, how they like to connect and what they want to connect with. In social media people want to connect and share what they find valuable with their network. In search, people just want to search. They don’t want to share their search results presented to them, they just want to click through and see what’s suppose to be relevant to the term they just searched on. There’s no reason to connect with a search result.
This Isn’t The Answer to the Like Button…It’s a Goldmine for Black Hats
Fantomaster Thinks +1 is a Gold Mine for Black Hats
Just like with Search Wiki, searchers can “vote” up their search results. If you were around when this little gem was released by Google there’s no doubt that you ran across search results that were spammed into oblivion by smart programmers finding loop holes that allowed them to exploit the Search Wiki faults. To be honest I don’t have anything against programmers who exploit the giant holes Google has like Search Wiki and Side Wiki and now undoubtedly +1, coming from a programming background I actually understand what motivates them.
This is so eminently gameable, it’s fit to drive a blackhat to tears. (Of pure, golden joy, heh.) – Fantomaster*
Because there’s no reason to be “real” in while searching in Google, the +1 is very exploitable. Just think of all those spammy gmail accounts out there, and then just think how many ‘bot’ programs are out there. Those two thoughts will probably begin to paint a truer picture about how gameable +1 really is.
Now, add in that you can “+1″ a Google Ad? Really a Google Ad, you think a normal person is going to “Vote” that up? What value is there for the common user doing in that?
You Have to Be Real to Get Value From Social Networks
Members of Facebook derive a value from it by being real, being themselves and connecting with their friends. The value of shared experiences is very addicting. Sharing what you find valuable with your friends, family and colleagues is very powerful, especially when you receive affirmation that another person finds this valueable. With Google’s plus one – there’s no affirmation among your friends. Heck you could have a ton of “friends” who are spammers (just like on Twitter) and you’ll never get any kind of validation that your true friends, family or colleagues find the same value as you. That in essence is a lonely island that no one wants to be part of.
With Google’s “Plus One” (or is it +1?), there’s no real feel of joining a greater community and there’s no sense of obvious reward as there is with Facebook or even a site like Digg. In Facebook, if I go to CNN and like an article it tells me X many of my friends like it too. These are real friends or community members actively engaging and likely I’ve engaged with myself on some level. How can Google give me that same value when I use +1? They can’t.
And that’s why, just like all the other efforts they tried, this will eventually fail as well (unless they build a true community around it - supposedly that’s coming in the future).
One Last Thought: Is +1 a Smoke Screen for the Demise of Google Buzz?
Google gets fine by the FTC for Google Buzz and No One Really Notices Because of +1
In all of this hullabaloo around +1 launching you might have missed that Google got smacked down rather heavily by the FTC for Google Buzz (which essentially is just about the same thing at the heart of it, as +1). Google has to not only pay a fine, but refine and revamp its privacy policies an initiatives, along with agreeing to go along with auditing for the next 20 years. While people scream about Facebook giving too much information, the FTC actually did something about Google’s privacy violations with Buzz. This news, for the most part, seemed to be swept under the carpet for the “Facebook Killer” (not really) story of the launch of +1.
We’ve been here before. We heard the hype with Search Wiki, Knoll, Wave and most recently Google Buzz. Has Google created an actually community of users that willingly share their information like the do on Facebook? No.
Until they do, anything Google does in Social is just another flash in the pan that will sizzle out and smoke until they pull the plug on it, yet again.
</rant> 
*For the record, I truly respect and admire Fantomaster. I consider him one of our industry’s great mentors, and yes I have his permission to use his tweets as quotes.
By dazzlindonna March 31, 2011 - 6:36 pm
I have to assume that once we are able to place +1 buttons on our sites, which is coming, then that ends up being more social and more useful.
By Liana Li Evans March 31, 2011 - 3:15 pm
But still there’s no community. How can other people see your reaction. The magic of Facebook (and even Digg) is there’s a community built around it. With +1 there’s no innate community, no social “reward” so to speak. It could be more useful, but no more useful than Buzz currently is unless a community or network is built around it.
By dazzlindonna April 1, 2011 - 1:28 pm
I see your point, but I don’t necessarily agree. I don’t know about anyone else, but the last thing I need is yet another community. Luckily, Google already knows who all my friends are, and shows me stuff they share in the search results already. They’ll now also be showing me the stuff my friends +1 in the serps too. (So that’s how people will see your reaction). And once the buttons are on people’s sites, it then becomes just a way to thumbs up a post or article. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve actually wanted to do that when I’ve read something. I don’t necessarily have anything to add to the conversation, and don’t want to comment, but I’d love to just show my approval by clicking a button. This would allow me to do that. I the concept has merit. Whether or not it will work? Only time will tell. Google’s previous attempts weren’t popular, but that doesn’t mean this one won’t buck the trend.
By @steveplunkett March 31, 2011 - 6:52 pm
Li.. Buzz isnt dead yet.. and this +1 has been around for a while as well as the “-1″ but that won’t be released until Google gets some kind of measure of how it will be exploited and which “users” will add that type of activity to Google Social Influence Index.
By Liana Li Evans March 31, 2011 - 3:13 pm
I know its not dead yet
but its likely on its way out with the heavy fines that Google was handed down because of it and the launch of +1. +1 is basically doing the same thing as Buzz… its just now being incorporated into the search results where buzz hadn’t been before.
By Anonymous March 31, 2011 - 7:40 pm
I don’t understand how so many people are criticizing a product that we know so little about. I get especially upset when people say gaming +1 will be easy. As if Google doesn’t have a monstrous team of the world’s best engineers developing ways to algorithmically detect Google users’ trust and authority. In a recent interview on thisweekin startups, Lior of the hotpot team gave some clues into the work Google has been doing in detecting trustworthiness and credibility of users who make edits to Google Maps. I personally believe they’re a lot further along in understanding social circles and influencers than we all seem to think.
There’s no doubt that Google has accepted the challenge of Social Search (even though it’s just one component of their search algorithm). Does it have to potential to replace the link graph as the #1 signal for quality content? Hell yes. Is it an incredible task? Absolutely. It opens up a new battlefield where tough wars will be fought with spammers, but we all already know the link graph will be replaced within the next few years anyway.
Google is saying “Challenge Accepted!” And I got my money on them.
By Liana Li Evans March 31, 2011 - 4:29 pm
I think we know a lot more about this product, because we’ve seen it nbefore just dressed up in different colors. The fact still remains, people don’t share search results and they don’t really vote on them (otherwise they’d be pimping SearchWiki more). People share articles, photo and vdieos in social networks because their is a reward in doing that with their network. Right now, that doesn’t exist with +1.
The Black Hats are a lot smarter than what most people give them credit for. There will be exploits, because it just begs for it. Google has figured out Social Search, that I agree, but becoming the next Facebook -or a Facebook killer, they are far from it.
I’m just cautioning folks from jumping on the “not really new” bandwagon. +1 unless it builds a community is going to flounder just like the other attempts. Really now, how many challenges do we have to be thrown into by Google, personally I’m a bit tired of it.
Thanks for joining in – wish you’d be brave enough to let us know who you are. (when i see this it says ‘anonymous’)
By Travis Campbell March 31, 2011 - 9:24 pm
Justin-
I agree in part. I think they will figure it out eventually, it’s just that Facebook has so much momentum, and the clock is ticking on Google. They have recycled leadership at the top, and one wonders if there isn’t a dearth of fresh ideas or strategy at Google, especially when it comes to social.
It reminds me of a company that was taken over by accountants who thought they could also do sales. Let’s just say they are still going, but struggling. Google is an engineering centric environment, with great technology and brilliant minds to be sure. You’re not alone holding out hope that they have something smashing up their sleeve. Let’s just hope they haven’t already revealed it.
By Andrew Goodman April 1, 2011 - 12:13 am
Am I to assume that Fantomaster himself ran that failed dating service?
By Liana Li Evans April 1, 2011 - 12:45 pm
LOL … you need to ask him that question.
By Andrew Goodman April 1, 2011 - 12:16 am
That aside, it is indeed a flash-in-the-pan-feeling release. I’d hardly call it “social,” and as a signal, it will join a range of other features (dating back to the little smiley face in the toolbar) that were half data collection (serious) and half intelligence-gathering on “what are SEO’s up to now and who are they”. On a serious note, I really wish they wouldn’t associate this with the ads at all. It’s inauthentic, and will confuse everyone.
By Liana Li Evans April 1, 2011 - 12:47 pm
Exactly – it’s a signal. I think they are trying to utilize it to help them gauge (on their own turf) what people are deeming relevant in what they are +1′ing. However, I still maintain they aren’t understanding the foundational aspect of social – that people share. Searching on Google isn’t adherently a social activity, it’s solitary. Before this +1 becomes any kind of success like the LIKE button is, Google’s got to build a community strong enough to support it.
By Liana Li Evans April 1, 2011 - 12:40 pm
Hi y’all – have been replying to your comments through our WP backend but for some reason (think it has to do with a Discus flaw) my replies aren’t showing up. Reposting now!
By Local And Social Require Heart – Does Google Qualify? | Niffybranco.com April 1, 2011 - 9:02 pm
[...] just read Liana Li Evans’ excellent piece, Watching Google Attempt Social is Painful: A Look at +1 and Other Failures, prompted by the supposed ‘Facebook-killer’, +1. You can find a description of [...]
By Google +1 = ? | Chicago Internet Marketing Blog | Rise Interactive April 21, 2011 - 12:02 pm
[...] that are taking a fairly negative view of +1, especially when they claim that +1 is a gold mine for black hat search marketers. Setting aside this notion that +1 is easy to exploit, writers in the industry don’t really [...]