Socialstream - Can Google Crack Social Networking?
Posted in Search Marketing by jspirko on July 9th, 2007 
I was just reviewing a video about a new service called Socialstream which is a joint project between Google and Carnegie Mellon University and it is designed to take social networking to a new level. Based on the ease of use and integrated viral network components I also think the real goal is to reach the uninitiated who have yet to give social networking a shot. Such as the vast majority of those people over 27 who not only don't have a MySpace Page but also have zero plans to ever have one.
Looking for the bigger picture though I see far more then a new spin on MySpace or Facebook here. I see a powerful new business tool being developed with the eventual goal to totally decimate the expensive solution to company intranets that are run on Microsoft SharePoint.
Think about it this way, Google Docs already has a MS Word and Excel clone. They just bought a company called Tonic Systems which is effectively MS PowerPoint in an online shareable format. I have predicted and am predicting right now again that Google will buy either Gliffy or a similar company with in a year or two and that will give them a Viso replacement. Google in fact seems intent on buying the best online solution to every issue addressed by Microsoft of other big software companies and just bought Postini for instance which helps provide security and protection for online applications.
Are you starting to see a picture form here yet? Oh one more little detail, Google Apps now works with Linux, what is beginning to form is a total online integrated solution for all personal and office needs devoid of any and all things Microsoft, yet if you want to use Microsoft for parts of it, no problem. Now I want you to think about this if you took a tool like SocialStream and integrated a new Google Docs that had every bit of the MS Office solution in it why would anyone use SharePoint ever again?
Securtiy is the first concern but by having the company "own the social network" locking fired employees out etc. is just as easy if not easier then SharePoint and the system can be made every bit as secure. This solution would solve two big problems one had Network Administrators and the second one had by would be successful Social Networking Companies. Here they are…
- First - The number one problem with solutions like SharePoint is techno weenies may use them but Joe Average only uses them when forced to. By building this system to be used by companies as a SharePoint or basic Intranet replacement Net Administrators get a simple to use platform that their users will be more likely to use consistently. By walling off networks employees can have their private life management and their business life management in one consolidated point. For the Administrator and for the Manager alike this is a carrot to get employees to use a common tool and properly document their work. Workers get a single tool that integrates their social and work lives together.
- Second - The biggest problem facing social networks today is getting people other then teens and early 20's into them. Some would argue this is a short term problem because in 15 years the 20 something will be the 30 somethings and from there it will only get better. Well, try telling that to venture capital firm that wants a 5 fold return on 5 million dollars in 2-4 years and see how that works out for you. What a platform like this would do is get companies and businesses to push employees into this technology as part of their employment. This is exactly what happened with other Internet Technologies like e-mail, DSL and Online News. Think about how many people use such technologies today who's first exposure to them was part of their job requirements.
So that is the end game I see for Google's new social networking platform. What do you think? Is Google just looking to get into Social Networking as we know it today, or is it a much more involved plan. If my predictions are correct what do you think the odds are of it being an effective strategy for Google?
~ Jack Spirko
Technorati Tags: social networking, web 2.0, web20, google, goog, facebook, myspace, socialstream, social stream, sharepoint, microsoft, intranet, business networks
References and Additional Information
- Socialstream Beta Site
- Socialsteam Demo Video - On Google Video
- Google Buys PowerPoint Solution - From The Google System Blog
- Improving Google's Social Network - From The Google System Blog
- Google Buys Postina - From the Official Google Blog
- Google Desktop Now Works With Linux - From the Official Google Blog
- Carnegie Mellon University
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University Update - Linux - Socialstream - Can Google Crack Social Networking? said,
July 9, 2007 @ 1:56 pm
[…] YouTube Link to Article linux Socialstream - Can Google Crack Social Networking? » Posted at - ComTech News on Monday, July 09, 2007 I was just reviewing a video about a new service called Socialstream which is a joint project between Google and Carnegie Mellon University and it … one more little detail, Google Apps now works with Linux, what is beginning to form is a total online View Entire Article » […]
Kozlen said,
July 10, 2007 @ 2:51 am
You assume that most of the people that use social networking sites or tools are young. In fact, a growing portion of the population that uses social networking sites is older than 35. According to comScore, the majority of users of MySpace and Facebook are over 35 (Even as of Oct 2006, more than half of MySpace users were over 35). You might be surprised by the demographics of social networks if you took a look at them.
jspirko said,
July 10, 2007 @ 10:51 am
Kozlen,
The assumption you are making is that those Comscore numbers are right. While Comscore claims “unmatched accuracy” in this case I would really like to know HOW they got these numbers.
One would believe it would be the easy route of simply mining the MySpace Profile data base. If so then I really question these numbers, given people like Michale Gray have been on shows like SEO Rockstars saying, “I am running MySpace Bots all day long”. So how many of those profiles are real, how many are bots on revolving IP addresses?
In short when you actually talk to people the numbers do not bear out the way Comscore claims.
To see it another way, I live in Texas and no matter what organization put out a statement like, “Only 10% of Texans drive pick up trucks”, I would never believe the number. Why? Well because I drive around here every day and know it is more like 40%.
Same with MySpace, etc, the Internet is my life, I am paid to pay attention to everything I can about it, that is my job. I ask every one I meet on and off line about social networking and I can tell you that the vast majority of people in their 30s do not have a MySpace page while every single teen I have asked (many of them show up at random courtesy of my 17 year old son) has one.
The Comscore numbers just do not jive with what we see. Do you know of any other such studies that back this one? One study is meaningless unless a third party can duplicate it.
Jack
Mark B said,
July 10, 2007 @ 11:21 am
@Kozlen - I have to take Jack’s side on this one. First of all - I definitely think what he says adds up. Beyond that though, I think the numbers support his opinion. The comscore numbers that you reference clearly show that Facebook has 48% of its users from the ages of 12-24 (a span of 13 years of age difference or 3.29% of each age is using the site assuming each one age represented is equal). You then see that 42.1% are between the ages of 25-54 (a span of 29 years or 1.45% of each age using the site). This implies that almost double the percentage of younger people are using this platform than older users. There is still a large density of older users that are not using Facebook.
Also, I must agree that Comscore’s numbers could be skewed based on their methods of reporting. If they took a sample of ages as reported on profiles, I would agree with Jack that this data cannot be trusted. Many of the younger users (my niece and her friends included) give ages that are much higher than what is actually true, most of them choosing an age above 18 (for what reason, I do not know). Also, there are MANY bots out there creating fake/spam profiles so the ages on those profiles must be thrown out as well.
I think the main point here is market saturation. The social networks are not as saturated with older users as it is the younger user. I also think that younger users are more of “power users” and use these sites more often than an adult user. I agree when Jack says that most older users “first exposure to (new technologies) was part of their job requirements” so Google taking a route similar to what Jack describes would enable them to increase the saturation of older users and expand the use of their social network.
Kozlen said,
July 11, 2007 @ 5:52 pm
While I don’t disagree that the majority of teens are social networking - in fact, there’s almost total saturation of the market according to a recent study. While a larger portion of a certain age group may use these sites, you can’t ignore the fact that there are more people that use these sites that are older than 25. While teens are apt at multi-tasking, and can easily manage social networking profiles on 5-7 different sites, I believe it will be those older than Gen Yers that will likely take more advantage of services/sites like Socialstream.
As a side note, just because people older than 25 don’t admit to your face that they have a MySpace page doesn’t mean they don’t have one. I believe it’s not socially acceptable yet to admit it - much like Internet dating in the mid-late ’90s.
Jay Deragon said,
July 19, 2007 @ 7:06 pm
The noise and actions that lead to convergence is heating up fast. Just consider the last thirty days of announcements: Google, Facebook, Linkedin, MSN, IBM and others ( I can hardly keep up anymore). Soon it won’t matter which existing network “you” think is better rather value will be created by how you manage “your network”. As more and more closed systems open, it begins to interact more directly with other existing systems, and therefore acquires all the value of those systems. Soon we will all be overwhelmed with an abundance of value proposition in which you’ll need to decide how and what to use in “your” network to meet your personal and professional aims. You will soon become your own aggregator of networks, of relationships, of information, of knowledge and last but not least…of VALUE.
Technology provides the means, relationships provide the value.
The Relationship Economy is now, not when, being built by individuals who learn how to maximize the value of relationships by optimizing technology. We’ll need to forget what we’ve been using and think “how” to adapt to the convergence of means which enables us to maximize value. We need to ReThink our methods and ReShape the means so we can individually and collectively capture the most value. Are you ready? What is your plan? How will you adapt?
When is Now: What say you?
I’ll be publishing a lot more on this at my blog later today. If you want more go to http://jayderagon.com/blog