Feathers were recently ruffled at Twitter when Google started including Google Plus returns in its search results. Alex Aspinall investigates
It is no secret that Google is desperate for its social network to succeed. Google Plus is definitely not one of the many projects the search giant is content to see disappear. And this is why it decided to start including Google Plus prominently in relevant search queries.
It is a big move, credited with manipulating a competitive advantage Facebook and Twitter could only ever dream of, prompting calls for anti-monopoly investigations, further fusing the previously distinct disciplines of social and search marketing, and forcing marketers to re-evaluate their use of the platform.
But journalists, and particularly tech bloggers, are prone to exaggeration and the use of inappropriate superlatives. So just how significant is the ‘Search, plus your world’ update?
Not that significant, says Dean Browell, executive vice president of US social media agency Feedback. He says, “It’s no more significant than when Google included live Twitter discussions in its searches, except that hundreds of millions of tweets are sent every day and far fewer items of Google Plus content are created and distributed in order to sift through in the same amount of time.”
There are, however, many industry voices happily attaching greater importance to the search giant’s new social search returns. One of whom is Neil Jackson, head of traffic control at digital agency I Spy Marketing. He believes, “The significance of Google placing Google Plus so highly is that it forces people to take it seriously.”
The degree to which people buy into Google Plus’ relevance is clearly the subject of some debate. But there does appear to be an overriding feeling that the social search update is, at the very least, providing marketers with a new method of ceasing precious centimetres on SERPs. And such opportunities are not sensibly ignored.
Nichola Stott, managing director of SEO agency The Media Flow, describes the addition of Google Plus returns to SERPS as “an extremely significant move.” And her view finds support from Fuel’s head of data Ian Howie, who recognises new possibilities for B2B marketers. He claims, “Marketers with active Google Plus profiles will have an advantage over those who don’t. The ‘white hat’ method would be to build a Google Plus profile, using relevant keywords and creating interesting content, again containing relevant keywords.”
Back to the future
Regardless of exactly how you imagine Google Plus impacting on B2B marketing in the short term; it is worth noting that the most interesting debates created by recent developments pertain to the future of the internet itself. There is a strong feeling that we are experiencing the beginning of the homogenisation of ‘search’ and ‘social’. And this really will be a game-changer.
Dan Hocking, head of projects at Holler, says, “As people interact online more via social platforms, the ability to search and find information from within these platforms becomes important. Inevitably, a blended model of the current search and social platforms will be combined, as it will be the only way many people go online in the first place. This de-emphasises the current strategies around search in light of ensuring social platforms are optimised and followed by mass to drive that traffic.”
And Jonny Rosemont, head of social media at search and social agency DBD Media, highlights the impacts these changes will have on B2B marketers. He says, “This could be a particularly pertinent feature for B2B marketing as it allows marketers to really target the niches that they are focused on. In short, now is the time for B2B marketers to ensure that they take steps to closely integrate their PPC, SEO, online PR and social media activity.”
Of course this isn’t just about Google Plus. Facebook and Twitter – both of which are miles ahead of Google in that they have thriving social networks – are involved too. And Microsoft. This is where things could get very interesting.
One school of thought says Google’s decision to include Google Plus returns on SERPs may force Facebook and Twitter to hand over their data to Google. This would reduce claims of monopolisation and, perhaps, be best for the man on the street. But the resulting social web would belong to Google. And, though Twitter did previously have a search deal with Google, the major internet companies aren’t commonly in the business of helping their big rivals.
Meanwhile, the criticism Google has received as a result of its over-prioritisation of Google Plus could play into Microsoft’s hands. Bill Gates’ former company has a search deal in place with Facebook, and the two of them could see growing numbers of disillusioned former Googlers heading over to Bing in search of more representative search results. Though on the flipside, there is also a growing number of disgruntled Facebookers that may do the opposite. It is quite complicated.
There is currently a monumental power struggle taking place between the giants of the internet. And the winners are set to provide the backdrops for the places in which we will be all sharing and discovering information as we move further into the 21st century.
Back to reality
This discussion has, out of necessity, veered quite some way off the initial analysis of Google’s social search returns and their impact on B2B marketers. So in the interest of maintaining a practical approach to the issue, it may be worth handing over to Pete Wallace, Total Media’s senior digital strategist for the final word.
He concludes, “If we want to embrace social search, it is time that B2B brands start to consider Facebook and Twitter as search engines rather than just social networks. We already see an increase of users that originate from these platforms to understand that Facebook and Twitter are acting as search engine mechanisms. As Facebook Connect spreads further, and Twitter is embraced more, this will continue to grow.
“For the time being, B2B brands should continue tracking Google Plus developments. However, we do not need to go into panic stations and dramatically alter our social and search strategy yet.”
Google, search plus your world – Five steps to staying found by James Clifton CEO at Balloon Dog
1. Set up a Google Plus page. It’s free and easy. Get started by visiting google.com/+/learnmore.
2. Create ‘Circles’ of influence. Circles allow you to segment contacts and share content. Open some relevant Circles, search for contacts or upload your Outlook address book and add them in.
3. Share and share again. Sharing content, sparking debates, answering questions and engaging on Google Plus is key. Fail this step, and steps 1,2, 4 and 5 are pointless.
4. Share Google Plus content on other social platforms – free tools from sgsplus.me or gooce plus allow you to post from Google Plus to Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook simultaneously.
5. Hangouts allow you to videoconference with clients and prospects and collaborate live; great for relationship building.
