I would be missing the boat if I didn’t talk about Google+. The newest social network launched in beta mode two weeks ago, magically grabbing ahold of my contacts and long-forgotten Picasa albums.
Google+ presents a serious competitor to Facebook, which some believed would remain an unchallenged leader in the social media space.
There are a few ways Google+ will threaten Facebook’s hold:
Reach
The new social network has access to millions of Google application users, all of whom have already heard of the service within a matter of two weeks.
Integration
Google+ links with Gmail contacts and Picasa albums, making it easy for users to adopt and share the service.
Revenue
Google+ has the social profiling and tracking Google AdWords has been using for years. Google+ will be able to serve more highly-targeted ads than Facebook, which does not have access to search history and email behavior. This will enable it to immediately take a piece of the social media advertising pie.
Google+ isn’t replacing Facebook in the immediate future. It will be interesting to see how things develop. No matter what the social network, Social Sonar is prepared to help you navigate and engage with your customers.
