I have been wondering about how Google+ social search will work for a little while now and wanted to share what my two cents on the matter. The ins and outs of how Google+ social search is not 100%, so please be aware before we start that this is not the bible, just my gut and experience about what will happen. Plus what to do about the Google+ social search.

Before I get into the entire Google+ social search info sharing session I want to first thank Florian Rohrweck for his initial post on Google+ and their eventual use of social search. I found his article through Techcrunch where they talk about Google actually hiring him to protect the code.

OK! So, why am I pointing all this out.

Because, social and search are merging. The landscape is going to look completely different in 6 months when you are doing internet marketing. Every business who needs to do search will be required in some way to also do social media.

So let’s go through the pro’s and cons of Google+ social search and how to actually go about making the world a better place, or at least making sure that you do not succumb to being ignored by the great white Google search engine!

Google+ Social Search Pros

• This means that searching for items online will have less to do with backlinks and more to do with who you know and trust. That was the actual premise behind social networking originally. Shall we go back to the roots?
• Ever get lost on page 5 for a keyword that is vital to your business. If only, if only you wish there were a way to hit a fraction of the people you know who would search for that keyword you would be rich! (I want to sing “If I had a million dollars” by Bare Naked Ladies now!) This is your opportunity to get found in some searches for people who know you. For example, a client you are connected with  searches on Google for your gizmomathingamabob and instead of finding a strange, scary site they see yours instead. The warm glow of your last project fills their heart. You are the known entity and the search ends at your website.
• For all those who actually paid attention to social networking over the past few years and built up networks of close valued connections the impact will be immense versus those who saw social networking as a fad. Take that suckers! Social networking is here to stay!

Google+ Social Search Cons

• This favors big business! A lot of small businesses will be swallowed whole by the mess this causes. Think about it! Who has the largest networks in social media? Celebrities, politicians, and large businesses. Starbucks competes with Lady Gaga for fans on Facebook as Gaga goes up against Brittney, Oprah, and Ashton for the follower count on Twitter. This only accelerates this trend.
• I see a game afoot! Those who do not get sucked up will realize quickly that like anything else online, internet marketing is half quality and half quantity. If Twitter is included in social search results (who is a betting person that Facebook will be included) expect to see sales rocket of Tweet Adder(affiliate link) and other similar software. Quantity could trump quality for search, just as backlinking services that used to offer 500,000 gazillion gajillion backlinks in two hours to get you 1,000,000 visitors to your site before high noon! That was of course when the sheriff (Google) came in and hung your site until it was dead, dead, dead!
• The other challenge is that this could be the end of exploration! Social networking and search engine optimization is about meeting new people and finding things you are looking for. Just as Yelp gets flawed in their search for certain topics with long standing establishments that have so many reviews that it will take years for others to be noticed you will see stagnation in connections and search. What is the point of searching if you already know the answer.

OK! So what can you do about this! I am glad you asked, because that will be what I am addressing tomorrow! Oh! teaser alert!

Tomorrow I will talk about the best ways to build a social search machine! So be prepared for your A-game here.