Google+ Sharing On Maps A Template For Other Products
Before Google+ launched several months ago Eric Schmidt repeatedly told people that Google’s social strategy would involve adding a “social layer” to other Google products. When G+ appeared as a full-blown Facebook competitor and destination many people forgot about the “social layer” strategy. But with the addition of +snippets to Google Maps and related sharing on Google+ we […]
Before Google+ launched several months ago Eric Schmidt repeatedly told people that Google’s social strategy would involve adding a “social layer” to other Google products. When G+ appeared as a full-blown Facebook competitor and destination many people forgot about the “social layer” strategy. But with the addition of +snippets to Google Maps and related sharing on Google+ we see the “social layer strategy” reappearing.
Earlier this week several people, including Chris Silver Smith, reported hearing that Google+ was coming to Google Maps. This is the rumored integration — less dramatic than feared by some who felt that Google+ was too “immature” a product to combine with the venerable mapping tool.
Sharing is simple on Maps: any of the snippets that appear on Google Maps can be shared with other users on Google+ (and those not on Google+). That functionality is useful in many cases: sharing driving directions, addresses and suggested places to visit, eat and so on.
But what’s more interesting is the way in which the Google+ Maps integration represents a kind of template that will roll out across Google properties eventually: shopping, news, calendar, images, pictures and even web search. To be clear this is my speculation — but it seems logical and the realization of the “social layer strategy.”
Opinions expressed in this article are those of the guest author and not necessarily Search Engine Land. Staff authors are listed here.
New on Search Engine Land
About The Author
