Google Takes On Facebook With The New +1 Like Button

[morestar]

Well it's finally here! Google has launched the +1 button (http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2011/03/1s-right-recommendations-right-when-you.html) which will be displayed in the search results and used by webmasters in the same way Facebook's Like button is used.

How does Google's +1 button work?

Basically if someone you know, one of your friends has +1'd an article or page from the search results or a website, you'll see those results in the SERPs with the +n beside it as in the picture below:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-p3sjC5pVG2A/TZNj2GC5SeI/AAAAAAAAHv0/Mz-fmHX2Lf8/s400/plusone1.png

Here's a bit more information that actually saddens me as Google mentions future connections with people outside your Google circle like Twitter - well, what about Facebook? Either way the quote is below:


So how do we know which +1’s to show you? Like social search, we use many signals to identify the most useful recommendations, including things like the people you are already connected to through Google (your chat buddies and contacts, for example). Soon we may also incorporate other signals, such as your connections on sites like Twitter, to ensure your recommendations are as relevant as possible. If you want to know who you're connected to, and how, visit the “Social Circle and Content” section of the Google Dashboard.


I personally don't see this functionality as being a threat to Facebook's LIKE monopoly and the following quote stumped me a little bit:


We’re confident that +1, combined with all of the social content we’re now including in search, will mean even better, more relevant results than you get today.


Sounds like a change in the algorithm for logged in users doesn't it?

[deepsand]

GIGO :rolleyes:

That someone I know may or may not "like" something is of exceedingly little import to what is and is not relevant to my quest of the moment.

[mjtaylor]

GIGO :rolleyes:

That someone I know may or may not "like" something is of exceedingly little import to what is and is not relevant to my quest of the moment.

I believe there are a lot of subtle influences influences of which we are not aware. I have no doubt that I am influenced by anything familiar, though it is often unconscious. At the very least the familiar draws my eye. I know that because I never fail to notice the likes I see now. For example, when I read the NYTimes, I always notice the articles recommended by friends. I may not read them, but I have seen headlines I might not otherwise see. It's part of pattern recognition, and I don't believe we can discount its powerful influence.

As to Google's +1, well, they are a little late to the party, but it *is* a party!

[Fitz]

I for one am getting a little bored with the whole 'like' thing. The bandwagon is getting rather overloaded in my view. It's a personal thing, I guess, but for me I'd rather not have someone else telling me what I'm more likely to 'like' than not, and certainly I don't want the SERPS to be altered just because of someone else liking something (easily "influenced" I suspect).

Which reminds me .... is anyone else having trouble finding the 'disable results based on search history' option? Here in the UK ... at least on the G server I'm using today .... the option has completely vanished. (Yes, even after I've done a test search so there is some 'history' to disable). Thanks to anyone for any pointers on that as I normally disable it every day so I can more accurately see the non-personalised trend in the SERPS.

[deepsand]

I believe there are a lot of subtle influences influences of which we are not aware. I have no doubt that I am influenced by anything familiar, though it is often unconscious. At the very least the familiar draws my eye. I know that because I never fail to notice the likes I see now. For example, when I read the NYTimes, I always notice the articles recommended by friends. I may not read them, but I have seen headlines I might not otherwise see. It's part of pattern recognition, and I don't believe we can discount its powerful influence.
Well, I am quite certain that I am in large company when I say that there are those of us who are conciously aware of and rebuff attempts at such influence.

What the sheeple do is not my problem.

[palmer]

So if you had the choice would you +1 this article or Like it? .. Id like it.. +1? obviously going to be everywhere because its google..! but.. i think they should of gone for a similar thing like "goog it" you could "goog" ure page up on google.. kinda like stumble upon.. +1 .. it just doesnt do it for me lol

[morestar]

So if you had the choice would you +1 this article or Like it? .. Id like it.. +1? obviously going to be everywhere because its google..! but.. i think they should of gone for a similar thing like "goog it" you could "goog" ure page up on google.. kinda like stumble upon.. +1 .. it just doesnt do it for me lol

I had that same thought since I first heard of it. How do you say it? I plus'd it? How do you write it? Please plus my article?

[HTMLBasicTutor]

Won't make a lick of difference to me as I don't surf logged into Google (or any other service).

[alienpest]

So if you had the choice would you +1 this article or Like it? .. Id like it.. +1? obviously going to be everywhere because its google..! but.. i think they should of gone for a similar thing like "goog it" you could "goog" ure page up on google.. kinda like stumble upon.. +1 .. it just doesnt do it for me lol

Maybe they intend it to be "add 1" because of the plus sign, but like everyone I have communicated with, it just doesn't seem to matter.

[jxw]

I am with BasicTutor on this. If I am doing a search, I try not to be logged in as I want "real" results, not results tailored to what the search engine has decided is relevant to me. It is difficult enough with my IP address being tracked and remembered. I enjoy being surprised by the results of a search, even if a search engine might not have considered it relevant for me. I will probably not "plus" something any more than I "like" something. If I find something someone else might like, I still send an e-mail to that person. For buusiness or otherwise, the personal touch trumps the one click for all approach.

[C.Rebecca]

+1 gives your “public stamp of approval” on Google search results which are then publicly viewable. It wasn’t developed with the intention to dump Facebook like.

[deepsand]

+1 gives your “public stamp of approval” on Google search results which are then publicly viewable. It wasn’t developed with the intention to dump Facebook like.
It was developed with the intent of imitating FB.



So how do we know which +1’s to show you? Like social search, we use many signals to identify the most useful recommendations, including things like the people you are already connected to through Google (your chat buddies and contacts, for example).

Soon we may also incorporate other signals, such as your connections on sites like Twitter, to ensure your recommendations are as relevant as possible. If you want to know who you're connected to, and how, visit the “Social Circle and Content” section of the Google Dashboard.