Although Google’s latest social network project is only a few months old, it is already making an impact on search engine results pages. Google recently announced that public Google+ posts will now be visible in search results.
There are some limitations that affect who will see these public Google+ posts. In order for these posts to appear in your search results, you must first be logged into your Google account. Additionally, you will only be shown relevant posts from people who are in your Google+ Circles. This also includes posts and pages that your Google+ contacts have ‘+1’ed. And because you must have a Google+ account in order to see the public posts in your results, Google is not in any way promoting their product.
This change is an extended benefit for Google+ users. By including results from your acquaintances, business partners, family and friends, Google has increased the reliability of its search results. People rely on online search for product reviews and personal experiences to help them make purchasing decisions and provide guidance. Taking recommendations from people you know and trust will lead to better and more informed decisions.
Google+ joins Flickr, Twitter, Quora and Google Buzz as the only social services available in Google’s social search function. The social connections you choose to include in social search results are completely customizable in your Google account. The inclusion of Google+ posts in search engine results pages will change the way people seek important recommendations and reviews, especially as the Google+ network continues to grow and users develop deeper social connections.
