Social Media? Nuh… Buzz Is All About Bing
I have been thinking about why Google Buzz has been launched. Google isn’t really a company that wants to dominate that market, or frankly have that hassle… So, what does Google Buzz do for Google?
Simply: AdWords
Now I have said in the past that Google doesn’t need to buy Twitter etc because they make their coin selling keyword ads. Why make the TV show when you can own the channel. The more I think of this, the deeper this gets. Let’s look at my thought pattern.
AdWords:
This is where Google makes it coin.
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Google Search:
This is the carrot that gets people in front of the AdWords.
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Quality Search Results:
This algorithm, and the good results it returns, is the reason people use Google Search.
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Information:
Google (and many others) are coming to realise that a get amount of ‘information’ has moved away from the static html page to a more ‘conversational’ style. Also, location has become important.
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Relationships:
Machines and equations are good at handling information. Where they still fall down is determining which information and more importantly, from whom.
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Access:
Google having to access (pay for) conversations from third parties is expensive and inefficient. Plus, some of the larger players are not using open standards. Google doesn’t like proprietary system.
So, after two years plus worth of work, Google launches a very engineer-heavy social stream. Let’s work backwards up the tree.
Access:
Google now has that information on their server farms, supporting a lot of open standards, and users are generating content directly on their service. They can run better analysis and tweak the algorithm. Better access means…
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Relationships:
They can analyze not only who are the trusted content creators on a mass scale, they can deeply determine on a personal level a single user’s trusted circle of influencers. They can use this information to tweak the algorithum, on a mass scale and a per-user base. Better understanding of relationships mean…
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Information:
Google can analyze what information people are looking for, in both a static and conversational style, from whom that information comes and what location that information came from. All used to tweak the algorithm. Better analysis and use of information means…
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Quality Search Results:
Google now has a super algorithum, spanning a broader range of information sources, with the power for personal customization. Better results mean…
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Google Search:
If Google keeps on improving, it’s harder for anyone else to take over. Google remaining dominant means…
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AdWords:
Coin.
Google Buzz has little to do with social media and a WHOLE lot to do with staying ahead of Microsoft Bing.
J
Very interesting observation Johnny. So in essence, anyone participating in Buzz is doing work for Google for free. This is really no different than any of the other social networks, which include photo sharing sites. They all profit from our participation. The give and take is that the users are getting something in return, which is a rich social experience as well as information that they seek.
JeffPHenderson
13 Feb 10 at 5:51 am
I heard your verbal explanation of this theory in last week’s Ffundercats episode and was very impressed with it. Whenever any company does something, the way to understand it is to “follow the money.” You have done this expertly.
John E. Bredehoft
21 Feb 10 at 7:40 am