Google Buzz – The Next Big Thing in Social Media?
Google announced yesterday that they are throwing their hat into the social media ring. Google says the new Google Buzz tab will begin showing up on about 1% of Gmail user accounts starting right away. Google says the rest of Gmail users will be able to see a new Google Buzz tab in their accounts within a week.
2 things immediately caught my eye:
1. Google Buzz is only integrated into Gmail. Granted there are 150M+ Gmail users but there are still quite a few people who are not.
2. Google Buzz does not integrate into Facebook. I think this is going to be a HUGE factor in whether Google Buzz is successful or not. It should be interesting to see how this plays out and IF Facebook will one day integrate into Google Buzz. As Facebook sneaks past 400M users – this is certainly not a number you can ignore.
Here’s a quick ‘cheat sheet’ of what Google Buzz is:
1. Integrates with Gmail. Below your Gmail inbox, there will be a tab for Buzz, allowing you to read status updates, photos, and video. The 40 people you converse with the most in Gmail and Gchat are automatically added as friends. Buzz updates also appear in your inbox if someone comments on your updates or comments, or someone directs a Buzz to your attention by using the familiar “@” symbol
2. Integrates with Other Channels. Photos from Flickr and Picasa and video from YouTube appear as thumbnails in Google Buzz. You can pull in tweets from Twitter but you can’t send your Buzz updates out to Twitter or other social networks.
3. “Page Rank” for Status Updates. To compensate for posts that many people don’t care about (like what you just ate for lunch) 
- Google Buzz lets you like and dislike status updates, and learn over time whether to show or collapse status updates from your friends. It also looks for conversations outside your direct group of followers and adds them to your feed as recommendations.
4. Private and Public Updates. Private updates can go to all of your Buzz followers, or just a select group. Public updates are posted on your Google Profile page and are immediately indexed for Google Search.
5. Mobile App. Google Buzz will have a mobile app that dictate status updates by voice and geotag your posts. On Google Mobile Maps, Buzz updates appear directly on the map, so you can read location-based updates. You can also look for any recent Buzz updates posted near your current location.
So what does this mean for real estate agents and brokers? I think at this point Google Buzz is too new make any predictions about what Realtors will or won’t need to do. I do think that if Google Buzz stays as is – it will be somewhat limiting to agents due to the fact it is just available to Gmail users and that it does not integrate with Facebook.
However – as social media evolves, it is imperative that agents keep an eye on where people are gathering and where they are communicating. Today it is primarily Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Will Google Buzz be the next big thing? Only time will tell.
Here’s a quick video Google put out yesterday that explains Google Buzz:
What are your thoughts? Would love to hear your comments – please post your feedback here!
Written by: Katie Lance, Marketing Manager, Inman News
Kori Covrigaru | Feb 10, 2010 | Reply
This was such a simple feature to develop and implement… I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s simply a marketing ploy. Commercial for Gmail and the search engine. I can’t possibly figure out why anybody needs this.
Kym | Feb 11, 2010 | Reply
Agreed, although Google has enormous apeal, unless they tap intothe exiting huge Facebook market of existing social media users, the organic uptake of Buzz might just be too slow to kill it off.
Overland Park Homes for Sale | Feb 11, 2010 | Reply
I think Google made a huge PR & Privacy mistake by auto-following anyone you have had contact with and then making those followers public so everyone can see who you have had past communication with (unless you unfollow them).
Real Web Solutions | Feb 12, 2010 | Reply
Apps like HootSuite have been developed as bridges to these social media apps. One post can be placed on the status update component of several venues and one portal can show you the updates from all of them. I believe HootSuite is already looking at adding Google Buzz to their existing list of social media venues.
On the other hand, some believe that Google may want to go head to head with HootSuite rather than with the other social media venues as the “portal” through which social media updates pass. Either way, Google Buzz should not be discounted as a mere blip in the social media world, despite the current shortcomings.
Katie Lance | Feb 12, 2010 | Reply
Thanks everyone for your comments and feedback!
Los Angeles lofts | Feb 16, 2010 | Reply
I’m excited to see what Google has to add to the social media world. They always bring a great product so don’t put them in second place to facebook just yet.
TheRECoach | Feb 16, 2010 | Reply
I have to agree with Overland Park, making Buzz an opt-out vs an opt-in was a big turn off to me. 90% of people who will jump on the Buzz, don’t even know what they are giving them permision to do! It will result in alot of issues, as the “preditors” begin to capitalize on the consumer’s ignorance, and Google’s appathy. Go slow my friends, look-listen-learn before you open your life to Google and it’s affilaited companies.