A Truly ‘Social’ Web: Google +1 = Like

05
Apr
2011

Natalie Huha

We all use Google to search, let’s face it.  The phrase “Google it” has become part of our everyday lingo. But recently, Google took search to a whole new level by introducing its +1 functionality.  Currently this is a Google experiment and you must sign up with Google to participate.  You can join the experiment here, read more about here and learn about your privacy with the experiment here.

So How Does It Work?

Google has introduced a ranking system about what you think is cool, thus +1 (similar to some internal collaboration and search platforms where you can rank documents.)  Your peers or the world can now see what’s important to you.  What’s even more interesting is the thought that others are essentially doing research for you on a particular topic and weeding out the noise.  That can be a great timesaver.  It also can be a great branding tool for sharing your expertise on a particular subject.

To try it, sign up for the experiment, do a Google search and you’ll see the +1 icon next to each result.  When marking a search item with +1, your Google profile name will then become public (which by the way you must have in order to participate).  You should also customize your Google profile with all of the information you would like shared with the world, so keep that in mind about what you are sharing.

The search results you think are cool then appear under the +1 Profile tab, which you can keep private or make public.

So go ahead and try it and let me know what you are sharing! And since this is a new video column, learn more about Google +1 from the video below.