10 Reasons Google Me is iGoogle

Social

There has been a lot of buzz as to what Google’s next social media move is, and if given their recent missteps, they will ever be able to compete with social media giant, Facebook. I had the opportunity to talk with Chris Lang recently, and in this discussion he shared his prediction about Google’s social strategy. He outlined 10 reasons he sees Google Me as the new iGoogle. As a Youtube enthusiast myself, I also grilled him for a few tips to drive more converting traffic with Youtube, as well as asked him about how listeners can learn more from Chris through his paid membership site.

10 Reasons Google Me is iGoogle

One of the things that stood out to me in this interview is the fact that Google has not departed from its roots of openness and security. While Google Wave was deemed a failure, Google also realized they cannot invent something bigger, newer, and shinier, rather, they are best returning to their roots, and leverage their strengths of presenting useful search results and data to searchers. Time will tell if Chris’ ideas about Google come to pass, but it certainly gives marketers like myself something to think about. [More about Chris' site here...]

Watch the Chris Lang Predictions Interview Here

Chris shared some great information as to his logic of the prediction in the Top 10 list as well as useful YouTube strategies to help marketers get more views and higher rankings in the search engines. NOTE: Please forgive the imperfect audio…

IMPORTANT: Click PLAY while mousing over the video below to start.

Google Me is iGoogle Interview Highlights

A few things that jumped out at me from this conversation (or watch the video here):

Most aren’t aware that Facebook has a lot of control of user content and the Facebook experience in general.
Google has maintained an openness to information while maintaining a strong security. They are also trying to make it easier for users to get to their information, consider the introduction of the Gmail Priority Inbox.
It seems (if the prediction proves out) Google is banking on the idea that giving users a better way to control two-way social activities will put them in front of Facebook.
Whatever Google puts out it will have a learning curve, and must be compelling enough to pull some of the 500,000,000 friends from the Facebook experience, in order for Google to have a fighting chance.

Learn more about what Chris offers online at http://www.ScanOffer.com/chris

What is Being Said on Twitter

Now It’s Your Turn

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chris lang, google social media, googleme, igoogle

About Travis Campbell

Husband. Dad. Marketing automator. Author. Educating and coaching others in their online business endeavors. Here's his Google profile.

View all posts by Travis Campbell →

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Janet

Nice to know there is someone out there thinking about this, and trying to make sense of it all, thanks Travis and Chris.
http://www.facebook.com/IamChrisLang Chris Lang

The think the key to the whole idea of iGoogle is this….

Power users can have complete control of a gadget that is custom made, or have huge input as to how an iGoogle gadget is created. Tons of developers and marketers are going to flood to this call now that we have exposed Google’s intentions, Travis.

But for the everyday user, using the gadget will be nothing more than a one click experience and nothing more than a series of mouse clicks to use the gadget and show different views of the datastream.

So it give US the ability to get what WE want and simple enough for my working class beer drinking buddies to get their sports scores.

http://www.MarketingProfessor.com Travis Campbell

If the numbers are acurrate, and there are 8million google apps users worldwide, that is Google’s best option…to raise up power users to love their technology. To be fair though, Facebook has it’s share of users on college campuses as well.

http://www.facebook.com/IamChrisLang Chris Lang

Another way of looking at that is there are almost 8 million students using Google Apps.

Another 3 million businesses, not users, but businesses.

College students? 3 million in the US, 4 million overseas. Like ASU, UCLA, Notre Dame, Vanderbilt and Brown, who was quoted as saying Google would save them $1 million the first year….

All my Google Apps buddies are all emailing me to say their start page just changed to iGoogle yesterday and Picasa is now being enabled by many Apps admins.

http://www.MarketingProfessor.com Travis Campbell

Well, I just logged into my Google apps and was greeted with a “Google Apps is Changing” message.

“In addition to the core suite of messaging and collaboration applications, your users may now access many more Google services with their Google Apps accounts. Learn more.”
Here where the ‘Learn More’ link took me:
http://www.google.com/support/a/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=181865

http://twitter.com/Scratchhealth Nicolas Roman

MP, great job on the interview and the whole presentation was great (might want to work on the audio part a little tho) but I never doubted my main man Chris “Google pimp” Lang for a second. He’s all over this information and it’s also cool that he was already a kickbutt SEO expert before he turned into the Google Guru.

I currently don’t use iGoogle but if it’s half as good as Chris says it will be – I will be all over it as well. Thanks again

http://www.MarketingProfessor.com Travis Campbell

Nicolas- Thanks for chiming in. I too was not using iGoogle, but will start now. I noticed on the Twitter feed above, some are having issues with it. Chris indicated that is because Google is testing and updating the service.
http://www.facebook.com/IamChrisLang Chris Lang

That’s me, pimpin Google like an old school G…..

http://www.facebook.com/dianjoubert Dian Joubert

Chris you rock! Keep up the Good news.
Tim Parisi

Awesome interview Travis, and really interesting information from Chris. I’m looking forward to what else you have to share in the future. I’m a member of his gwave mastery site, and I gotta say, it’s awesome. Do yourself a favor and check it out.

http://www.facebook.com/IamChrisLang Chris Lang

BTW Tim, you can let loose with all I have taught you now, Tim has known my theories and is one of my best students from my members site.

http://www.twitter.com/rebeccahappy rebeccahappy

Haven’t been using iGoogle for over a year now but am going through it all again as I listen to this interview. Loved the 10 step breakdown. Looking forward to part 2 and to share this with my friends.
I am surprised at how much detail there is in all your research compared to the quick comments or write offs people pronounce without really having any insight into what is actually going on.

http://www.facebook.com/IamChrisLang Chris Lang

Rebecca, I told you this was goona be controversial, always a pleasure. Why didn’t I steal you away from Simon back when, what was I thinkin?
http://www.MarketingProfessor.com Travis Campbell

Rebecca-

I do think iGoogle is worth a second look. I’m just not sold that this strategy will work for Google, although it would be their best approach yet. They’d have to get the kind of momentum Apple got when they finally released development tools that got techies excited (iPhone apps).

http://speakingbadger.com SpeakingBadger

Travis… I have to agree with you. I see the potential, for both mobile and non-mobile users with iGoogle. Especially because of Android and all the open source Gadgets. I see how much this can grow and I do think Chris is onto something.

BUT… it is going to take more than just Chris teaching people how to use it and creating “Buzz” for it. It is going to take a huge Advertising push on Google’s part with awareness and education. If they treat this like every other app they have used, it will fail or be a mediocre success. Because most people need simple… Look at Facebook and how stupid you can be and still at least use it.

Is iGoogle stupid person ready??

Good news is, I have seen Video ads recently about Chrome and Google Search… so maybe, just maybe they are gearing up to keep promoting and tying it all together for the users and create the buzz and hype needed… just like you said Travis… the kind of momentum Apple had… (crossing fingers)

Great Job Travis at putting this together… :-)

http://www.MarketingProfessor.com Travis Campbell

That is a whole different aspect that hasn’t been explored. Google’s mobile market is expanding rapidly, as an Android user of 5 months, I’m amazed how much functionality is in the device. They certainly have that working in their favor. If Google makes serious inroads with social media, there is probably even more to it than what Chris shared. He can’t no everything Google, right? :-)

http://www.facebook.com/IamChrisLang Chris Lang

Here’s 5 MORE Google Me Reasons iGoogle is the future….

We are creating the first by community Buzz gadget for iGoogle. Let’s see if my power users want what Google Me is going to offer us.

Second, I just hired a programmer to help me understand more of what is possible thru iGoogle.

Third, Martha Stewart has an iGoogle gadget and custom theme.

Fourth, iGoogle is where Zynga games is going to be.

Fifth, the most overlooked Google acquisition that creates iGoogle gadgets.

labpixies.com/

What do you think about that?

Jannik Lindquist

Thank you, Chris and Travis for sharing this with us!

Chris, I think you are absolutely correct that iGoogle is where the Zynga games will be and where labpixies will do their magic. I also think that you are correct, that if there will be ever be a product called Google Me, that product will be iGoogle (which is why I also think Google will change the name from iGoogle to Google Me). But, imo, Google Me/iGoogle will be nothing more than a “laymans entry point” to the Googleverse. It’s for all those people who don’t have a Gmail-account (and don’t want one either) and who could feel intimidated by the geeky character of the full version of Google’s products.

I seriously doubt that Google Me/iGoogle will be of much use to powerusers of Google’s products.

http://waltgoshert.com/ Walt Goshert

Just got off the phone with Chris Lang…

Yes, iGoogle sure looks like the Google Me platform.

And, when you consider all the iGoogle Apps and how the dots can be connected from various social networks, such as Twitter, Facebook, etc….

Imagine the possibilities…

Stay tuned. This stuff is gonna get exciting!
http://www.ingridelfver.com Ingrid Elfver

Travis, this is great info, could you write a simpler article that makes it really easy for all the “normal” online entrepreneurs to understand what this might mean, so they can also take part of this info… I will make sure they read it :)
Its very interesting to think of the new social media being a 2 way communication between mobile phones… hmmm…
To be honest… I am still not clear on the difference between iGoggle or Goggleme???
So when is this going to be launched… does anyone know yet?

http://www.MarketingProfessor.com Travis Campbell

Ingrid-

Thanks for chiming in, I agree it should be simplified a bit. The follow up discussion will be a bit different, and hopefully be more pointed as it pertains to implications to marketers. Thanks for your willingness to provide feedback, and share with your peeps.

-Travis

http://twitter.com/justindonnell Justin Donnell

iGoogle, Google Me, iGoogleMe, no matter what you call it, it’s a fantastic idea! I’m very anxious to see how they’ll tie Friend Connect activity feeds into everything.

I’m a long time Google fan, and always pay attention to Chris’ insights and predictions. I’ve been watching Chris even closer since the initial Google Me rumor surfaced a while back.

Great interview! Thanks Travis and Chris.

http://www.MarketingProfessor.com Travis Campbell

Justin, Nice meeting you here. It will be interesting to see how Google ties all these activities together for users. Not convinced it will a Facebook killer, but may in the long term. (Google has more money).

Anonymous

OK that makes a lot of sense dude.

http://www.anon-web.tk
http://twitter.com/thepmshow The PM Show

Awesome info! I’m going to open up my igoogle now and begin using it again. I might even set it as my home page!
CJ

How bout if I don’t want to see updates on those games your playing on the social network? I hate that I log in to a certain social website, and see roll after roll, of updates on the games. I don’t play them, I don’t want to see them. I only want to see post of relevant information from my friends.
Tim Parisi

One of the biggest reasons that FB is so popular among college kids is that it started on a college campus. for the first few years it was only available to students with a .edu email address, and you had to identify your college campus when registering. It was the first way to “take the entire college experience and put it online” to quote the movie.
http://www.google.com/profiles/paulabrahamsmusic Paul

I think facebook is simple yes and no, if you want your stuff spoon fed to you, just log in! Just remember ya gotta like facebook food! But if you want variety and you want different settings, even fb gets tricky.

Now along comes Google with a customizable social network linked to everything you’ll ever need. KaPOw ! From whatever angle you want to approach it. Just being social, from a purely business perspective, you like to share and comment, want to read all your blogs, want to check on all your other SN’s, bring in your apps and docs… the sky is the limit.

I want to second Tim Parisi on Chris’s Gwave Mastery… it’s rocks.

Well done Travis good interview.

BTW: I have richer connections through Google than fb or maybe I just need to find new friends lol
http://www.cctv-security-camera-systems.com Peter Brissette

I had not noticed the “update” and “friends” links on the left side of iGoogle. I use Igoogle already to collect data that I am researching. I will create a custom page and add multiple RSS feeds so I can can get a fast one page glance at the latest information on a topic.

I am not sure yet how the friends and update ties together though. It said I had 10 friends listed and was pulling information from my contacts in my gmail account. I removed those and added others so I can see how it will play out.

This was a great interview Travis. Keep up the good work.
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http://www.blueunplugged.com/Gifts-For-Kids-Gift-ideas-children-Kids-Toys.aspx Petter Smith

I really don`t know that the why google makes such big changes in it. more over the google has already application in the better condition.

10 Reasons Google Me is iGoogle

10 Reasons Google Me is iGoogle

Watch the Chris Lang Predictions Interview Here