Social Media B2B

Yesterday the online power house Google released a new social software product called Google Buzz. This social platform is built into Google’s online e-mail service Gmail. As Google explained, Buzz is intended to provide and easy for people to share and consume information quickly. Google has also added some important location-based features to Buzz that while will have limited B2B impact could have ramifications for retail businesses.

Jeff and I thought it would be fun to both write posts about Google Buzz and take the opposite sides of the issues. He has written a post about why Google Buzz won’t matter much for B2B companies and obviously I am here to argue the opposite.

5 Reasons Google Buzz Matters To B2B Marketers

1. Google Profiles Get More Important – Google Buzz lets users share information publicly and privately. However, when users share information publicly it becomes part of the person’s Google profile. B2B companies now have another tool in their online marketing tool kit to help bolster inbound and search marketing. It will be important for businesses in the future to ensure that employees have profiles established and connected with corporate web destinations.

2. Reinforces That Real-time Search Is The Future – The one thing most strongly implied, but not stated by Google, is that Google Buzz will be used to help improve Google’s real-time search feature. As I have talked about before real-time search is a major issue for B2B companies. B2B companies who do a good job of getting information shared in Google Buzz are likely to see improved traffic from Google search as it transitions to real-time. Remember that returning relevant user generated content in search is currently Google’s biggest issue as a search engine.

3. Makes Social CRM More Complete – Because Google Buzz is a part of Gmail and Google profiles it helps to fill out an individual’s online social graph, including who they communicate on online and what they post. As social graph get more complete it will be easier to integrate data from the social web into CRM systems to provide a new level of relevancy and context for sales teams.

4. Provides A Non Geeky Way To Consume Online Info Quickly – Let’s face it, Google Reader looks like something only nerds use. Google Buzz, while I think it’s still too complicated, offers a better way for B2B companies to consume online information and leverage it for business decisions. Because it is integrated with Gmail it will be easier for people to have access to information because they do not have to open another tab in their browser and open Google Reader.

5. Will Impact Enterprise Collaboration - One thing I notice from looking at Buzz, is that it is on a course to merge with Google Wave, Google’s new collaboration tool. While both services are just getting started and likely to evolve a lot. They will likely have a big impact on collaboration at B2B companies. Even if B2B companies don’t adopt these new tools, it is likely that other software companies will take some of the features Google has developed and include them in future products that do get adopted in the B2B space.

Here is the official video from Google about Buzz:

Let us know your opinion by taking our poll after reading both posts:
Jeff’s post about the limited impact of Google Buzz

Do I think Google Buzz is a cure all for B2B? No. Was it fun to argue one side of the debate? Yes. I do believe it can help B2B companies better consume information and lead to improved decision making. Do you plan on using Google Buzz?

Kipp Bodnar is publisher of SocialMediaB2B.com. Follow Kipp on Twitter @kippbodnar.