Posted: June 3, 2011
Google’s answer to Facebook’s Like button is the Google +1 Button.
Installation of Google’s +1 button is as simple as going to their +1 website and choosing the options to configure the button for your website. At the bottom, they provide the custom Javascript code for you to simple copy / paste into your website’s HTML.
Being the world’s leading search engine means that new features tie back into your search results. The +1 Button could be an important aspect of Search Engine Optimization where the more recommendations a site has, the higher it’s placed in certain keyword rankings. Google plans to start incorporating the +1 recommendations into their search results to help serve more relevant content and advertising. They have also clearly stated that the +1 Button is similar to “telling your friends, family, and the rest of the world ‘This is something you should check out.'” With the importance on SEO, online marketers will be quick to adopt the +1 Button on their websites.
It remains to be seen whether website visitors will use the Google +1. Facebook’s Like Button has the advantage of posting to your Facebook Profile for all your friends to see that you “like” something whereas the Google button simply acts as a counter. This fails to offer an incentive for users to click Google’s +1.
It’s clear that Google is not the leader in the area of recommendation buttons, coming a distant 2nd to Facebook’s Like Button. However, the +1 Button could become an important feature in search rankings and also if Google launches their own Social Media service, which is widely speculated.
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