New updates will boost Google+
Google’s social network is rolling out new live search and hashtag features as Google’s SVP of social, Vic Gundotra explained in the video above. We are finding that Google+ is a more information-rich network than its competitors which are focused on status updates commonly used as a means for a user to share their inner thoughts. G+ culture is forming around information, which the folks at Google are answering to.
“Now when you search in Google+, you’ll see a message about new posts the instant they’re available,” said Gundotra. “If you click on this message, or select ‘Most recent,’ then relevant posts will start appearing in real-time.”
Now, when you complete a search and tell it to show you the newest updates, from that point on, it updates automatically which is helpful if you’re tracking a time sensitive news issue. Also, when users put a hashtag in any Google+ update, the hashtag automatically becomes a link to the real time search results for that word. We imagine industries will go wild with this (you’ll see #memphisrealtor and #coldwellbankernyc in updates).
While these seem like small product updates, they convey Google’s next steps for the network which are less focused on form and more focused on function which will please the geekiest of the geeks, who typically evangelize for social networks, especially Google.
