By Vlad Vidaeff
When a new project doesn’t even have a name yet, it makes it that much cooler. When it’s coming from Google, you have the attention of the general public. This blog will explore the innovative new project by Google which blends Google search results and elements of a social media network.
Google’s official headline is as follows: “An experimental new podium on Google. Hear directly from the people and organizations you care about on Google.” To get an idea of what the podium will resemble, Google recently introduced a feature that likely will closely resemble the new one. The main difference: this new feature focuses exclusively on the 2016 presidential election. Starting in February of 2016, Google allowed presidential campaigns to post debate rebuttals directly on Google search results for relevant topics. When Google’s new project launches, instead of limited to politics, the new feature will be offered to verified businesses and public figures.
The motivation behind the project may be the floundering nature of Google+. While the social media platform is still essential for SEO purposes, it does not have the cache of Facebook or the potential of Instagram or Pinterest. By combining elements of Google search and social media, the best of both worlds is at your fingertips. While brands will have the opportunity to control the messaging that will appear on Google search results, the set-up will essentially be a one-sided social media network. Users will be able to share the brand’s message but they will not be able to comment. As a result, this will be an opportunity for brands and public figures to self-promote.
As the project grows, this is a potential advertising product for Google. Since brands can send out messaging unchallenged, some of the risks associated with traditional social media networks will not be a concern. The date on which this attractive product will be available is unknown. At the moment, the experimental feature is invite-only. If you are interested in becoming one of the early adopters of the service, you can join the waitlist. Google continues to fight a high-stakes war against Facebook. By combining social media with its most powerful service, Google search, Google is attempting to blend elements of search engines and social media into one tightly wrapped package. Enjoy digital marketers, evolution continues.
