Inbound Marketing News: Google Search Integrates Google+
Andrew Gough, January 12, 2012 in Google Articles, Inbound Marketing News
All things Social Media, Content Marketing, SEO & SEM…
In this week’s Inbound Marketing News: Google pushes Plus with search integration, and listen “socially” on Facebook.
Marketers, Get Ready for “Google Search, Plus Your World”
Google has integrated Google+ into its search engine as the internet giant fires yet another volley in its war against Facebook.
Google+ has had little impact on the social networking world since its launch last year. Now, Google has made the obvious move of using its considerable search leverage – no man’s land for Facebook – to push Google+ onto the world. Whether it likes it or not.
The Internet world is abuzz with talk of antitrust infringements, but what does this mean for marketers? Google+ as a social entity could largely be ignored before now, a relief if budgets only allowed room for one social network in an Internet Marketing strategy. But with social networking integrated more than ever with search, it makes it all the more important to have in place a cost-effective plan that combines SEO with SEM and SMM, across multiple networks.
We’ll be looking into the relationship between social networks, increased organic links and SEO, and the proper use of Search Engine Marketing and Social Media Marketing, in an upcoming blog article. Watch this space!
Facebook Launches “Listen With Friends”
Social networking monster Facebook is rolling out its new “Listen with Friends” service, spelling bad news for Turntable.FM but good news for musicians and record companies.
The new feature – which allows users to listen to a friend’s music in real time through streaming services like Spotify, Rdio or MOG – muscles in considerably on Turntable.FM’s social networking territory.
While the launch of “Listen with Friends” is potentially bad news for Turntable.FM, it could be an Inbound Marketing blessing for small players within the music industry – such as new musicians and small record labels - trying to deal with falling CD sales and MP3 downloads.
The new “Listen With” icons that appear next to Facebook members’ thumbnails shorten the user journey to a band’s fan page by several clicks, increasing the likelihood of new “Likes”. And where there are new fans, there are new potential concert ticket and merchandising sales.
Canny music industry marketers should be doing all they can to provide valuable content for Facebook users, raising the likelihood of engaging them with new revenue channels – from limited edition vinyls to premium video content.
Is Google evil, and is Facebook just stealing ideas? Or are you after a little advice on what any of this means for your business? Leave a comment below!