Google Profiles vs Facebook
We all know about Google, the biggest search engine, and Facebook, the giant social networking site. More than half of the traffic to all websites comes through Google, and this is what is prompting Google to use its presence on the web to become more social. It has just launched Google profiles in a totally new avatar which is going to be one’s identity on the web. There is no doubt that being more social helps in all conceivable ways. Google tried it earlier also through Google Buzz, but it fell flat with not many showing interest. People preferred to stay with Facebook which is perhaps the largest social platform on the web. Let us see how this latest attempt at socializing by Google compares with Facebook, and how it is different from Facebook.
The story of Facebook is nothing less than a fairytale. It started in 2004, and in just 6 years, it has changed the way people socialize and communicate with friends on the web. It is a revolution of sorts, and allows people to contact and leave messages conveniently. The basic function of Facebook is to let people have a profile and a home page to which they can add loads of information about themselves and others that they can share with the world, well at least those who are in their contact list. One can add photos, videos, groups, links, and even events that let people share and engage in rich and exciting ways.
One can log on to his Facebook account and chat instantly with those who are online and in his friend list. Communication is also possible through many apps such as personal message, wall posts, pokes, and status updates. People do not think twice before posting their photos on Facebook as they feel that their privacy is respected and they trust the site very much.
Google Profiles
Howsoever big Facebook may become, it still has to rely on traffic coming in through Google and other search engines as a person can log in to his Facebook account through search engines like Google only. This has probably made Google aware of its importance and also because it has realized that the way to the top requires it to become more social. This is why it has revamped its Google Profiles to make it easier for current users to add information to their accounts about themselves. This way, users can present themselves of Google products and in fact across the web.
Google profiles is similar to the Facebook profile, in that, it allows people to search about others using their first and last names, and it is not just Google but other search engines as well that one can be found out this way. Google has been inspired by the stupendous success of Facebook and Google profiles allows the search engine to connect its more than 600 million users in a better manner. ‘Google profiles’ has more plugins and provides better control to users to add and share more information about them.
Summary
Google has given better control to users than Facebook in allowing whom they want their sensitive information to share with. Google profiles can also be used by people to put up their bio-data to be seen by prospective employers, and considering the reach of Google, this is going to be a revolution of sorts the way people and organizations have been hiring employees. However, all this is in the realm of future and it remains to be seen how successful Google profiles can be in the face of stiff competition from Facebook that is ruling the social scene, at least for now.