What is Google's most Important Social Network?
- Google Buzz?
- Google Wave?
- Google Plus?
- Search Plus your World?
Perhaps you are aware of these current networks. But did you know that Google has been into social networks since just about the time they went public. Some of Google's social holdings and creations.
- In 2001 they acquired Usenet and renamed it Google Groups.
- Sprinks, 2003. a blogging network to be renamed Blogger.
- Picasa, 2004, an image organizer and sharing service.
- Dodgeball, 2005, a social network to be renamed Google Latitude.
- Jaiku, 2007, a Twitter like social platform.
- Okut, Google's original Facebook like program.
The list of social technology goes on but you get the point.
But can you guess what Google's most successful social network is?
Actually there are two.One being more veiled than the other.
You Tube! Yes the video site is a social network. The videos get commented and shared across You Tube and embedded into other sites.
Some of You Tube's own statistics:
- 60 hours of video are uploaded every minute, or one hour of video is uploaded to YouTube every second.
- Over 4 billion videos are viewed a day
- Over 800 million unique users visit YouTube each month
- Over 3 billion hours of video are watched each month on YouTube
- More video is uploaded to YouTube in one month than the 3 major US networks created in 60 years
- 70% of YouTube traffic comes from outside the US
- YouTube is localized in 39 countries and across 54 languages
- In 2011, YouTube had more than 1 trillion views or almost 140 views for every person on Earth
Now this one might shock you.
My second most important social technology is reviews curated and created on Google Places. For many of theo world not locked into digital gadgetry, reviews will be used. Reviews are a very necessary part of any company reputation management program. As bad reviews can ruin a potential prospect from calling you.
So after reading this, I hope you can begin to understand that much of the hyperbole we hear on the web about the latest greatest is often nothing new. There are still great conversations happening through the old Usenet/Google Groups. And often these groups harbor old aged participants that just might fit your profile.
I also hope that you can begin to realize the need for a comprehensive publishing initiative within your company that syndicates your content. And the biggest place that you can do that is You Tube.
Additionally, Google Places and other local review sites are an integral part of your reputation online.
