Google Buzz stands on the shoulders of Gmail
Some Gmail users can already play with Google’s new product, Google Buzz, a social networking feature built right into Gmail that allows users to share messages, links, photos, videos and also updates from Twitter, Picasa, Flickr and Google Reader.
You will automatically follow the Gmail contacts you interact with the most and a recommendation system will suggest post from people you are not following.
Google Buzz can also be accessed from Google.com home page, on mobile phones from buzz.google.com and from the Buzz layer on Google Maps for mobile. Android and iPhone users will also be able to use the voice shortcut to post buzz without typing.
Is Google Buzz a threat for Facebook and Twitter?
It’s too soon to tell, but judging from Google’s past attempts to become more “social” (except for Orkut in India and Brazil), Google Buzz success is far from being guaranteed. Moreover, Facebook’s user base and stickiness shouldn’t be taken lightly: maybe Google Buzz just entered the field too late.
Twitter instead, could initially benefit from exposure on Google Buzz, but lose the final battle when new mobile users will conveniently post buzz from their Gmail inbox or after performing a search on Google, or using Google Maps. Many desktop Gmail users always have the Inbox tab open on their browsers, the same could happen for mobile users.
Don’t ask for whom the Buzz tolls, it tolls for Bing
Google Buzz could be a game changer mostly where Google is really being innovative in search: Local, not Social.
Lately Google developed new solutions for local businesses that can advertise with enhanced listings on Local Listing Ads and make mobile users check in by scanning Favorite Places QR codes.
Being able to post buzz messages from mobile phones tagging your location and viewing posts attached to “Nearby” places could make Twitter less relevant and slow the growth of Foursquare, Gowalla and Yelp. The integration of Google Buzz in real time search and reviews in Place Pages can sustain Google’s position as #1 local search engine.
While Bing Maps introduced innovative features, Microsoft could be worried about MSN Messenger users considering Google Buzz as an improved version of Google Talk and lose a share of banner ads and search revenues.
0
Loading ...