Wansum Li – Intro to Marketing

In the past, Google has been viewed primarily as a search engine. Its most popular apps, like Google Calendar, Google Reader, and Google Docs, have been focused on improving productivity. With its new +1 button, the company seems to be shifting its focus to include social media. The +1 button is essentially a way for people to make recommendations to their friends, based on personal experiences with specific organizations. Web pages with higher ratings will also appear higher on search results. Google has recognized that consumers value their friends’ opinions when it comes to, choosing a new restaurant to try, for example. Facebook has something similar where people can declare themselves to be a fan of certain organizations, or “like” sponsored ads directly.

From a marketing perspective, Google +1s and Facebook “likes” are significant for attracting new customers. I know that I am more likely to try a new restaurant or check out a new shoe store if I have heard positive reviews online, especially from my personal network. Appearing higher in my Google search results is also significant. I think that a large portion of people do not look past the first page of search results, or even past the first few links that Google brings up. Being higher in search results increases consumer awareness of organizations, which is the first step for gaining new customers.

For those eager to try out +1, Google is currently experimenting with a small number of users in the US and has not fully released the feature.

An interesting note: Currently, Facebook does not have a “dislike” button and Google does not have a “-1” button. Could it be something to expect in the future? Youtube does have a “thumbs down” option.