What’s the Word? Google Buzz!

By Preston Kelly

Following the footsteps of social media giants Facebook and Twitter, Google has just released a social media tool of their own:  Google Buzz.  So what’s the hype about?

Much like Twitter and Facebook, Google Buzz allows space for the expression of thought.  Twitter, however, places a limit on length, allowing a mere 140 characters at most.  And while Facebook is wildly popular among all ages groups, its interface is confusing to many new users.

Google has taken social media a step further and created the perfect mixture of the two.  The most obvious advantage of Google Buzz is its ease of access.  What better way to gain users than to automatically connect it to their Gmail accounts?  I know that as soon as I saw that colorful little circle appear under my inbox, I clicked to learn more.  And here’s what I found:

1. Instant friends - Google Buzz suggests following the people that you most often connect with on Gmail, making it easier to find people that you already know.

2. Easy linkage – Though you can’t link to Facebook to Buzz, other sites are widely accepted, including Twitter and Flickr.

3. Buzz for mobile – The Buzz mobile app uses GPS to find your exact location, enabling you to connect with other Buzz users in the area to find out what’s going on.

4. Simple design – Unlike the confusing looks of Facebook and Twitter, Google Buzz uses a clean design, allowing for conversations to begin that feed directly into your Gmail.

With all of these capabilities and more, Google Buzz has opened a new door in the realm of public relations possibilities.  Practitioners have already begun a working list of PR tactics using Google Buzz, ranging from mobile abilities to search engine tags to easy sharing.

Mashable claims that this buzz-worthy site has already changed the name of the game, warning companies that ignoring it could be a “costly mistake.”

Of course I love my Facebook and Twitter pages, but with all the recent hype after only two weeks, I can’t help but think Google Buzz might be something worth looking into.  As Google continues to correct privacy issues and add newer and better features, Buzz has real growth potential in the PR world.

One question remains: how will Facebook and Twitter respond?  (read: PC World)

Photo Source:  Matt Hamm