Google is still the big beast on line. Facebook and Twitter and social media are making more media waves, but search is still the number one driver of commerce, and Google the most profitable company in the history of the internet. So when they introduce a new social media channel, we have to sit up and take notice, despite the hiccups of a few of their other innovations such as Wave. You will have noticed the +1 button when you search, and at its most basic level this is a win for Google. Imagine if you could place a brand icon beside every websearch on Google. The brand awareness alone will poduce results.

But that button also serves a purpose. If you click on it your firends who have a Google account will see that you have indicated that you like that brand or page. It is a way of endorsing your choices and letting your friends know, and when you see that your friends have +1ed a page, and you know and trust their judgement, it will have an impact. 

+1 also introduces Circles. These are groupings of people that have similar interests or are connected as friends or family. Brands will be able to create Circles around their services and products, and engage with those that choose to join the Circle. And that will be easy as you will be able to join a Circle from your search results. 

+1 will also impact on seach. Your web site can have +1 buttons on every page, and these will link to the +1 pages and Circles of your brand. 

Local businesses will also benefit, or local branches of a chain, as they will be able to put contact details, deals and maps on their pages, that will be vsible on the +1 app, as people search using their mobiles. 

It is early days for +1, but we think that it is here to stay. From initially being seen as a threat to Facebook, there is a growing opinion that Twitter has more to worry about. Google is such a strong brand there is already a growing excitement about the posibilities. Watch this space, because the updates are coming thick and fast.