Google lauches Social Search : a shift from informational to social Web

Is technology "pushing" everybody and even "everything" to talk? The reason I'm wondering is that nowadays information society which caused this overwhelming data overload, followed by media fragmentation is now creating conversations across both offline and online platforms. Brands are becomming more interactive, given "voice" to maintain conversations with consumers, otherwise they just risk to become simply...unnoticed.

Online platforms are now recognizing the need to shift from simly "broshure"- based content (full of "silent" data) towards an interactive - based one, offering consumers more touch-points to get a better knowledge of brands through...personalization!

Google was planning long ago to offer more integrated and personalized solutions, so that in several weeks from now it will mark a shift from a simply informational search engine to a social search - Google Social Search, as part of Google Labs experiment. This basically means that from now on everything we search for could be related to the same search tasks chosen by our friends, peers and simply the connections linked from the public Google profile, such as the people we're following on Twitter or FriendFeed.

Also, Google will integrate Gmail: posting searched items of our chat buddies and contacts from our friends, family, and coworkers groups. Additionaly, Google will involve Google Reader, using subscriptions as part of our social search results.

This way, Google Social Search will deliver content posted on search results boards from social networks including Twitter, YouTube and Blogger when users are browsing their iGoogle profile.

Here's how Google sees its new social search function:



Since the project is now on its experimental level, Google has also opened a Feedback platform, waiting to hear more public views.

The Lesson for Today:

1. Social Networking platforms are likely to link tight to search platforms in the future, following the "global grouping by interest" trend, which motivates the success of Facebook, MySpace, Twitter etc. Would you even think 10 years ago that you'd have so many people around the globe, whom you'd never meet, but who share same views you do?

2. Service/product integration across all platforms is being better supported by such social strings, as: transparency (open-source brand, being open to public views and judgement - feedback platforms), relevancy (offering firstly the relevant content), personalization (we all like to be addressed by name, right?)

I used:

1. New Media Age

2. The official Google blog

3. InformationWeek

4. Google Brand Boosting Strategies (Slideshare)

Looking forward to hear more of your suggestion & comments,

Yours,

Nadya
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