Google’s social search: Future for businesses?

Google search just came out with a new feature this week when they integrated Google+ updates into relevant Google searches. They are calling the feature “social search” and it has been getting quite a bit of press. (You can learn more about the service from Google’s promotional video.)

As for myself – having tried it for a week – I have to say, I am impressed with the functionality but more so the strategy it suggests Google+ will take and how it will help businesses profit from social media.

Facebook vs. Google+

Part of how I am forecasting social searches and Google+’s future success is in how I see where Google+ and Facebook differ, which is in the philosophy upon which they were built.

A testament to the power of social media

It’s amazing how quickly social media has taken hold of the world.  Why, just a short three years ago, I was completely clueless as to what the term “social media” even referred to.  And then when I did finally gain some grain of understanding, I flatly refused to be a part of it for months!  And now, as you can see, I am immersed as deeply as the rest of you crazy cool people. 

Although, there are days that I wonder what will become of everyone.  After all, like everything else in life, moderation is the key.  With all of the different games and fictional societies that seem to be flourishing on the internet, it really could be quite easy to become so fully immersed that one’s days would waste away until there was nothing of reality left to experience and appreciate.

Thankfully, there are many facets to the social media revolution, or perhaps I should say evolution, and it is a great one that I sing the praises of today.  Last year, I lost my beautiful cousin Joy to a very long battle with cancer.  I won’t go into the sad details, because this story is all about greatness precipitated by social networking.  You see, Joy’s children wanted to help her achieve her biggest goals and dreams before she left us, so they asked for a “Bucket List” of things she wanted to accomplish.  It wasn’t a very long list, and really, there were three items that I would consider the least bit challenging:  Go on a cruise;  Swim with the dolphins;  Be a part of the audience at a taping of the Oprah Winfrey Show.

Video is a Large Part of Google+

Last week, Google introduced its latest attempt at social networking with Google+, a direct competitor to Facebook. Bloggers and tech geeks everywhere are quick to draw parallels and note plenty of differences between the two. Our own Creative Director, Doug Johnston, scored an invitation and has since been testing the waters.

One of our favorite differences (which may be a short-lived differentiator, according to this announcement by Facebook) is Hangouts, or group video chat.

Social Media and SEO

Many of our clients are confused about social media. Is it just a fad? Doesn’t it represent a casual or unprofessional environment? How will this help our business?

Many social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, flickr, MySpace, Last.FM, blogs, SlideShare, digg, and more exist in the corporate world.

Allow me to tackle just one facet of the many benefits of corporate social media pages: Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

Twitter to add photos and video

On Wednesday, Shaquille O’Neal announced his retirement from the NBA through a vlog blasted via tweet. He used Tout, a third-party service which enables users to share video on Twitter since the latter’s format doesn’t support photos or video.

Until now, that is.

Measuring your social media’s ROI

A common question between businesses and marketers alike is “How do I measure the ROI of my social media campaign?” Well, folks, I have the answer:

You don’t.

A common myth about social media is that it can be the end-all solution for advertising. Plus, it’s free — perfect, right? Wrong. While social media can be part of your marketing campaign, it cannot carry the ship.

Social Media: Don’t rest on your laurels

I was on LinkedIn dialoguing with colleagues around the world about who considers themselves an expert at social media.  Mind you, these are wise and seasoned marketers themselves.  The wisdom that came from thediscussion focused on a couple of repetitive themes.

Mobile Video is Booming, According to Nielsen

The Nielsen Ratings, commonly remembered as the studies which analyze what people watch on television, have uncovered a startling reality concerning mobile video. A study of quarters three and four of 2010 found that the number of Americans watching mobile video has risen to 25 million people, a huge jump compared to the statistics from 2009.

Do you HootSuite?

Your business is probably on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and a slew of other social media applications. So how do you keep all of these profiles in check?

Why customers aren’t “Facebooking” you

Most businesses with marketing savvy use social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, and blogs to represent their brand; however, many business owners aren’t seeing the results they want from using these outlets. Why is this? Social media is so easy to use. Millions of people are at your fingertips — how come they aren’t breaking down your door with new business?

I’ll tell you why:

You aren’t engaging them. Your sites don’t require interaction.