Google Buzz Questions

(Photo credit: Telegraph Media Group)

Google’s Buzz seems to be catching on. We are thinking about including it as part of some social-media marketing initiatives, but how should organizations use Google Buzz in ways that they’re not already using Facebook and Twitter? It appears to be yet another platform that a business will have to 1) establish and 2) maintain (via a Google account), while 3) having to work at gaining contacts. Most or all of the potential contacts, it seems to us, are likely already using Facebook and Twitter.

We’re especially curious about it, since the trend for social interaction appears to be away from email, yet Buzz is so tied to email, it doesn’t work unless Gmail is a primary email client. (I knew I was supposed to love gmail more truly–bad marketer!)

And, looking at it from the search angle: Facebook, Twitter and YouTube are now seriously threatening Google as alternative search platforms. Most businesses are still not using all three of these — so why introduce a fourth when they haven’t yet put these others to work?

But, there are some advantages. Since it can easily be connected to Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and others, it adds a new dimension to maximize client visibility. Although Facebook is working on its own webmail client, GoogleBuzz rallies the gmail community with its opt-out-or-you’re-in approach. It has other advantages, too, as captured particularly well by SEO Optimize. Don;t forget the SEO impact as well.

Of course, Buzz is trying to ride the increasingly important trends toward mobile marketing, which Discover Magazine explains– that’s where the huge eyeball growth is taking place, and where businesses can reach those eyeballs (via ads and custom apps). I’ve been watching mobile marketing for several years, and think this year is the tipping point — the iPhone is becoming part of the culture, has been joined by the non-phone iTouch and, soon, the iPad; Google and the other phone competitors now have their own smart phones with apps, etc.

Makes us want to delve more into FourSquare, actually….