Google released its Google+ network just a month ago and it is already estimated to have twenty million users. Those who better understand the significance of Google +1 see the writing on the wall, and those who don’t will soon follow suit.
Here is a few reasons why I predict +1 will continue to grow – and grow quickly.
1 – When people click +1, their connections will find those pages easier.
Not everyone realizes it yet, but once people hit the +1 button either on Google or an actual web page, that page automatically becomes more relevant to those who are connected to you through Google services like Gmail or Google’s social network. This can result in a huge traffic increase for those who’s sites generate a lot of +1 activity. For example, if you are connected to 50 people and you +1 a page, those 50 people are more likely to find that page when searching. If any of those 50 people hit +1, the same will happen with their connections – and so on. Its like a revolving traffic MLM program for the Internet.
2 – More and more people will learn about +1 as well as rely on +1s over time.
Whenever something is fresh and/or new it takes time for it to become accepted with the general public. Facebook, Twitter, Digg, Myspace, etc, all went through their own growing pains for initial years until they were widely accepted by the masses. This process will be significantly different with Google +1 in my opinion. Google has an uncanny reach and acceptability factor with those who already use the search engine. Also, Google+ is already integrated with everything Google offers. The dominance Google has held in the search space has been unlike anything anyone has seen in such competitive spaces of business such as ‘advertising’ and ‘technology’. Allowing people to influence Google’s powerful search engine will be the rocket-launcher for +1s popularity.
3 – Sites with +1 activity will get better rankings on Google.
This just makes plain old good sense. Overtime, Google will use +1 activity to influence its normal algorithm whether a user is signed in for search or not. Sites with heavy +1 activity will be deemed more important and vice versa. More and more traffic will be rewarded to better sites while webmasters will begin to cater more to their users rather than search engines. Google’s Webmaster Tools control panel is already showing +1 activity including clicks and influence. If your site is getting +1 activity Google Webmaster Tools will show you all about it. Go check it out now, click here or view a sample of what you’ll see below (if you’re getting +1’s that is).
4 – Spam sites and sites that suck will go away.
Google has felt pressure about cleaning up the Internet for some time now. After all, what ranks well on Google people find and what doesn’t rank well you need a road map to get to. Is Google responsible for what people do or don’t see online? Some people feel they are and although in reality Google is just a great tool for those who seek information, they are often the be-all end-all for what gets seen. This shifts what I’m sure is some unwanted responsibility on their end and Google has been molding its algorithm to cater more to “brand authority” when it comes to what web sites come up and which do not. Just as people trust brands, so does Google. Within the last year or so, established brands have been stealing the rankings of many smaller newer sites and this still isn’t going to change too much – because people like brands, people often need brands and at the end of the day brands will warrant +1s from users. When all is said and done, sites not liked by users (measured by +1 activity) which don’t aquire +1 activity will just go away. Google wins again.
About The Author: John Colascione is Chief Executive of Internet Marketing Services Inc. He specializes in Website Monetization, authored a ‘how to’ book called ‘‘Mastering Your Website’, and is a key player in several Internet related businesses through his search engine strategy brand Searchen Networks®
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