I could care less if Google deletes Buzz tomorrow Why?
#1 Google is NOT going to dump Buzz. Enough said. However…..
Because my followers will follow me on Google Me. Or what ever platform. This is what makes Google’s social network valuable.
Because my followers and those I follow are in my Gmail contacts. They have little to do with Buzz, or Wave. Because when you follow someone they are added to your Gmail contacts for you by Google.
I have mentioned this to you before many times. Many seem to think that Google social apps are built on your address book. True.
Gmail contacts are not a static address book though. Google will build your address book for you.
We started building our following when we broke the news in 2008 that Google was building a social network, as that was how it worked in Google Reader sharing. Then we added more followers to my Google Contacts with Google Friend Connect. Then more with Google Wave. Then more with Google Buzz. Started at zero, now at over 2000. Google added them, not me.
So I don’t care if Buzz gets canned tomorrow for Google Me, I will be instantly following you there tomorrow and you well be following me. Because it’s not about Buzz, it’s about Gmail and real email addresses and phone numbers of real people.
Like Thomas Morffew that I spoke with on the phone yesterday. I never knew of Thomas until we chatted on Google Buzz. I did not add his email address to my Google Contacts. But we followed each other on Buzz so Google added Thomas to my Google Contacts and me to his. I asked Thomas for his phone number after that. When I got his number I searched my contacts and there he was so I added his number to the existing listing. I didn’t add him, Google did.
Dump Buzz and open Google Me? Fine. There will be Thomas following me and me following him because we have a relationship built and saved by Google.
That is how social networking is done and how real relationships are developed. Google just helps this along. It’s time to stop thinking about the application from Google and start thinking relationships that you will continue to strengthen no matter what the Google platform.
How can this Google Social Network benefit you even more? Click here…..
Chris,
Great post. Very good insight. It’s interesting you say Google will build it’s social platform around an address book.
What about those who do not use Gmail? How does that affect Google’s social strategies.
Google has to bring on something so powerful that the value is overwhelming.
But the fact you get the email addresses of you followers and can deepen the relationship, then make the whole thing available on your phone too?
Have Gmail? Send the email over to your domain on POP3. Done deal.
Interacted with more new people on buzz in a few months,than any other site after years!
@John Hauxwell – I agree, not since Jack Humphrey’s Social Marketing Central – Ning group have we seen such community and participation. But then the early days of Twitter and Facebook were the same. Now is the time to scoop the best friends you can there. People that did this early on Twitter and Facebook are now social media gurus and very powerful. Se ya on Buzz. What is your URL there so I can follow you?
@Chris Lang http://www.google.com/profiles/jhauxwell1
You make this entire thing exciting every day. This for me is really great. Over the past year I have been trying to faithfully log my contacts info on the gmail…as they make things easier all the better for me.
The relationship thing makes so much more sense than the bot follower who is not necessarily well connected to the human behind it.
It gets even cooler when you have a Droid phone. Then you get the same connectivity right in the palm of your hand.
Great point Chris!! Google is building your social graph
http://www.google.com/s2/u/0/search/social#socialcircle. Can’t wait till they unleash this on all of Google’s properties. Bring on Google Me!
Nicely done Chris, excellent points all around, and imagine that, we’re all connected automatically it seems.
Fantastic.
I’ve developed several key relationships because of this social (web 2.0) stuff…it’s great
I love anything Google and the automatic contact update makes me love them more! I never formed a habit of always adding contacts especially those days when I used Yahoo alot but when I started using Gmail one thing I was quick to notice was Google did that for me easily. Can someone find google for me let me say thankyou! LOL!!!
good