Social Media Impact of Google Buzz
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Despite the fact that it’s only been online for about two weeks, Google Buzz has already created a stir among both users and competitors. Because it’s tied directly into user G-mail accounts, Buzz already has more members than Twitter, including many who were not yet part of the social media scene. When the dust from Google’s bombshell settles, two questions will remain to be answered: What makes Google Buzz unique and will it present serious competition for Facebook and Twitter, the two current social media giants?
What’s all the fuss about?
The primary reason Google Buzz has already captured the attention of millions of users is that it’s connected directly to their email accounts. It’s easy to check when you already have your email open, and you can see immediately if new posts are available. Users cite sociability, ease of use, convenience, and accessibility as top reasons they enjoy Google Buzz. In its first week of operation, Google Buzz was already garnering more than 160,000 comments every hour. As more people become familiar with what the service has to offer, that number can be expected to increase exponentially.
The initial launch of Google Buzz sparked concerns about privacy since the service was connected directly to email accounts and therefore allowed not only your email address but also your email habits to be easily figured out. While the concerns are legitimate, Google’s response has been stellar. They have already changed the feature which automatically “followed” the contacts you e-mail most often so that it automatically suggests these contacts to you instead and they’ve instituted settings capabilities which allow you to deactivate Buzz altogether if you choose to.
Where is Google Buzz headed?
Just a few weeks ago it was hard to imagine a social media service that could present serious competition for Facebook and Twitter. Today, it’s impossible not to take seriously the potential that Google Buzz has not only to compete with the two biggest networking sites online, but even to outrank them eventually. Every extra minute that people spend on their Gmail accounts is a minute not spent on other social media sites. With millions of users on Facebook alone, even ten minutes less per person adds up to millions of lost posts. This means that advertisers will need to begin considering the inclusion of Google Buzz in their marketing strategy, which will almost certainly pull advertising dollars away from elsewhere on the social media landscape.
Google Buzz arrived with fanfare and it’s not likely to go anywhere soon. Google already has more features waiting in the wings and it’s only a matter of time before we begin seeing the development of mobile apps. Online social networking will never be the same.
Be sure and subscribe for the latest web marketing strategies and updates! Justin McGill is a web marketing professional and runs a successful Small Business SEO Firm. He is the founder and CEO of SEORCHERS (read: [surch-ers]) - a local web marketing firm specializing in organic search engine optimization (SEO) with a focus on converting visitors into clients.
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