Google was late to the social network game, but now they are going to try their hardest to make up for lost time. Everyone’s favourite search engine has already started including some results that highlighted if one your Google+ contacts has recommended something in your search results. But now they are taking it to the next level with “Your World” which will actually populate your search results with posts and recommendations from your friends (who are on Google+ of course). These posts will naturally carry some priority over standard search results. Users can still instantly switch between “Your World” results and standard search results. Your World will focus in three key features (as stated by Google’s Blog):
- Personal Results, which enable you to find information just for you, such as Google+ photos and posts“”both your own and those shared specifically with you, that only you will be able to see on your results page;
- Profiles in Search, both in autocomplete and results, which enable you to immediately find people you‘re close to or might be interested in following; and,
- People and Pages, which help you find people profiles and Google+ pages related to a specific topic or area of interest, and enable you to follow them with just a few clicks. Because behind most every query is a community.
Naturally some of your “people” might not like their posts and recommendation flying around the internet in people’s search results, so Your World uses SSL security layers to protect those recommendation from landing in the wrong hands.
This type of social networking integration into the world’s most popular search engine is going to have Facebook and Twitter worried. And rightly so. Google might want to look out – they will probably face an antitrust suit in the future for this feature. Using their market share in search, which was grown organically into a monopoly due to good results, and then using that market in order to push their flailing social networking agenda might not sit well with a few people. For some good viewpoints on the potential antitrust issues, read MG Siegler’s opinion.
