Google’s Facebook Killer
While it hasn’t been officially announced, there are rumors that Google has started development of a Facebook alternative, which has been dubbed “GoogleMe.” While there are no official releases, I called up some of my friends in the know at Google, who confirmed with me that there have been talks and plans for a while how to compete with Facebook and now they have an official project that will destroy Facebook… or at least take a few users away from Facebook. I did a little thinking over the last day or so about this, and decided that when Google launches this, that this actually has a definite ability to be a Facebook “killer” for a variety of reasons. Read on.
If you’ve been reading lately, I’ve been really examining Facebook a lot. Partially because I am sick of everyone in the media fawning over anything Facebook related, and partially because it’s really damn good in generating traffic for my blog. That being said, the Facebook phenomenon is really quite interesting – if only showing how the internet has changed the face of fads. Google however may have something in what they are developing, and be creating not only a “facebook” killer, but something that may actually last beyond a few year. Here are five reasons why “GoogleMe” could kill off Facebook (and finish Myspace):
1) Google already has built in email. Facebook’s mail/contact system is Facebook local only – integrating the full-service Gmail system into GoogleMe would be providing users with a universal email address that is connected to their profile. With the right privacy settings, one could easily prevent people from emailing you from the social network, or providing limited access to “trusted users.” This would bring Google on step closer to being a universal contact and login system that they are looking to become- something that MSN/Hotmail has tried for years under the passport system.
2) All the information you need is already under your fingertips with Google. Some people have made the argument that Facebook is nothing more than the internet. Finding information and people on Facebook, as the site grows exponentially is like finding information on the internet in general. While it’s a bit easier, the information overload has started to become similar to the internet. With all the messages, requests for friends, free gifts, notices about harvesting corn and other things, it’s often hard to find what you are really looking for. Who knows this better however than Google? Integrating information on people’s social pages with the search function would allow people to really find out information about interests and people.
3) No one really thinks Twitter is long term anymore. GoogleBuzz isn’t that popular, but integration into GoogleMe would provide a real “one-stop” source for providing information. When posting anything on GoogleMe, one could easily provide a smaller version of the post for GoogleBuzz automatically. Throw in Google’s Blogspot services, and you have the ability to create both social networking pages that are integrated into people’s article/blog systems.
4) Google Advertising. While Facebook attempts to find a long term revenue model, Google invented many of the models. Simply put, any Google social networking system will already have a steady stream of income for Google and instant relevant advertising. Google just needs to add a secondary system into their content-based ad system, allowing people to put advertising on GoogleMe and there is another instant $1 billion in revenue for Google within months.
5) Android. After their search abilities, the Google Android system will easily put GoogleMe over the top. The universal Google registration system will allow you to immediately create your own profile on Android, with your information to share as you want. With obviously easy integration with the Android, any social networking system will be also your universal address book that will store all the information about other people on your phone, in GoogleMe, and similarly share as you wish with other users.
Facebook in my opinion has one choice: Sell to Google. If they do not, they really risk becoming very soon the next Myspace, with a quickly dwindling audience as everyone moves to GoogleMe, a natural fit for the rest of the Internet. Facebook has been quickly providing integration into other systems (or more that other systems have been providing integration into Facebook) but it may not come quick enough to save them from Google.
Any yes, here’s my Facebook page.
Special thanks to the hundreds of people who wished me Happy Birthday on the 29th.
Thoughts?
14 Responses to “Google’s Facebook Killer”
Leave a Reply
(C) 2010 Pace Lattin. It is the policy of this blogger to not edit or remove any content and comments, unless it is specifically attacking a protected group or irrelevant to the conversation, such as a spam. These are the OPINIONS of the respective writers, posters, commentators. All DCMA Notices shoudl be sent to pace@pacelattin.com
It seems all of your words are correct. Thanks for sharing. But there is no official announcement for this.
Anyway I don’t want to work with Facebook. I’m expecting Google need to come in front and play a social game.
Just because Google builds it, doesn’t mean users will adopt it. Nobody can predict that piece and attempting to predict it to the tune of 500 million users is just fucking ridiculous. Rehashing the same crap every other halfwit "social industry" blogger has considered doesn’t make you Nostradamus. It doesn’t even make you Michael Arrington. It just means that you jumped on a bandwagon that anyone who really knows their stuff has avoided. Why? Because it’s completely asinine to predict the behavior of half a billion people.
Google owns http://www.Orkut.com already. Is this related to something new???
I don’t know if I agree that eveyone will flock to Google Me. Facebook has become so ingrained in the mainstream that now even big brands use facebook.com/toyota on their commercials.
Especially for the non tech savvy, like my father for instance. I can’t see him picking up and leaving his facebook account for google me simply b/c he doesn’t like change. It’s a miracle he’s on facebook and I think he’s happy there.
Great article Pace.
~ Corey
Has everyone forgotten about Orkut already? Google have already tried this.
Yes, this will be part Orkut, part new.
I think the potential of ANDROID’s influence is a key factor here. For the longest time I never bothered to merge my cell contacts with gmail so everything was integrated. Why? I’m not really sure, but after ditching my Blackberry for a Droid X this week I finally did it because it was necessary and logical if I’m going to be using gmail and a phone with a Google OS. That’s significant.
In this day of information i don’t doubt Google killing Facebook.. It’s about Information and Google has tons of that.. Google will definitely pull a facebook.. Facebook made Myspace better.. and like you said, so will Google.
jay
I do not know about anybody else, but I have my privacy concerns about Google and would be loathe to place anymore personal information at their control.
people probably won’t abandon Facebook for something very much like Facebook. it will have to be as different from Facebook as Facebook was from, say, Google. something that adds value above the social layer. a new kind of filter.
Very insightful, even with some occasional no brainer points
The part not discussed here or much elsewhere is the cultural momentum aspect. Society leads and follows revolutions like schools of fish, there are a few million influencers in the front who know where and why they are headed somewhere, tje rest don’t have a clue other than to follow. We saw this with Morpheus p2p, the kazaa p2p, then myspace, then facebook, etc.. There’s a trillion examples of where u need those core influencers, the rest will follow and off they go. Until which time something new adds much more value and the influencers get onboard, google will be respected as a search destination, not email, social, mobile, etc.. They are making strides, but still unproven. Remember in early 2000 how there were dozens of video search sites that were well funded, high profile VC appointed CEOs, celebrity connections, etc… Then YouTube came from nowhere and embarrassed them all. Most examples of cultural tech revolutions are unpredictable till they are obvious.
Part of Google’s push was the huge amount of money they just gave Zynga (farmville.. mafia wars .. etc) to develop games for Google Me.
I don’t see people and companies jumping ship, but they will just duplicate there efforts into Google Me when it becomes a viable marketing solution.
Google trying to clone Facebook is like Microsoft trying to clone Google. A day late and a pound short to the party.
The best year for facebook games was 2009-2011, it hasn’t been the same since. I always find good new facebook games through http://www.face-gamers.com