For most of my career, I’d always been a bit biased against Microsoft. Maybe its because I started my career amongst the Apple snobs in the 90′s or because I regurgitated the distain for what my IT guy said was an overly complicated file structure. Likewise, I always liked Google’s “don’t be evil” approach to doing business. They seemed like the younger, cooler version of what Microsoft was supposed to be – minus the bird nest haircut.
Bill Gates searching for a thought lost within his brain’s file registry.
So, when the rumor mill let loose with pre-leaked news about upcoming Google and Microsoft product launches aimed at the social media space, I fully expected Google’s flip flopped, hippie-haired techies to outwit the Microsoft suits. The jury is still out, but I think I was wrong.
Google’s Assumption
I look back and think about what killed Friendster. I remember the constant network outages and the feeling of “oh, that’s it?” once I’d connected to as many people as I’d wanted to. MySpace was reliable and gave me many more ways to enhance online experiences with my connections. Once NewsCorp sacrificed MySpace on the advertising altar, Facebook stepped in and gave me and my ADD-afflicted friends The Wall. This toy and all the new toys made available through their open API let me stay connected to friends in very exciting ways. This enhanced experience is the reason Facebook is the world’s largest photo sharing site, has caused the downfall of many social blogs and has become a ubiquitous part of many people’s daily lives.
To kill Facebook, you can’t simply come along with a product that is better, it has to be impossible to ignore. Google Buzz is certainly a superior tool to Facebook in many ways. It makes sharing more efficient and allows people to do more without leaving their email. Yes, it even allows for integration of Twitter. But no Facebook??? There are over 350 million Facebook users (experts think only 250 are active) who are set in their ways. They have hundreds of followers apiece that they’ve carefully gathered – and sometimes culled – over the past two to six years. Is Google Buzz better, absolutely. Is it “better enough”? I don’t think so.
Google assumed that because what they’ve done is a bit better than what people are used to, their 146 million monthly users will provide a critical mass to overcome Facebook. I don’t see it. In my early days of working in social media, I learned that simply providing a superior avenue of communications isn’t enough. My early efforts failed because we thought “if we build it, they will come.” They didn’t. They only came once we figured out how to deliver extraordinary value.
Microsoft’s Simple Idea
Instead of launching a wholly new product aimed at damning Facebook to the increasingly quiet realm of MySpace (or Friendster), Microsoft timed the announcement of its new Outlook Social Connector to coincide with the Google Buzz release. I’m assuming they must have learned a thing or two from their Windows Live social/blog tool’s failure. Microsoft’s new partnership with Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter allows them to make their email offering more useful, a far more humble goal than to overtake and dominate the social space. They may not be the first to do so – Salesforce.com created a similar offering in Faceforce a year ago – But Outlook is certainly a leader in the email world and this new functionality ensures Microsoft’s continued relevance in that space for at least a little while.
What Google Should Have Done
First of all, Google should have tossed pride into their massive algorithmic abyss. I’ve had the same personal email address since 1995. It’s a Yahoo account and everyone who matters to me on a personal level knows how to get in touch with me. Google should have let me keep this address and transform its service into an Outlook-esque type offering. I’d still be in the Google world, clicking on the Google links. The only difference would be that those who receive my email would see @yahoo.com instead of @gmail.com.
He doesn’t work for Google, but he shouldSecond, Google should allow the easy import of my Facebook friends, possibly a linkage similar to what Facebook has done with Twitter. This way, I’m still in the Gmail interface, but my Google Buzz posts are visible on Facebook. What’s more, those who are on Facebook who click into my Google Buzz post could see just how much cooler Google Buzz is. And, since they don’t have to give up anything by joining, why not start an account? This could lead to a slow migration of users from Facebook to Google Buzz. Instead, Google is asking us to make a choice. I think Google has underestimated how much people heart Facebook. Will Google Buzz die? Probably not. It will likely develop a niche of its own, possibly appealing to younger generations who feel locked out of Facebook’s rules limiting access to those under 13.
I Could Be Wrong
It just might be that I’m underestimating the value of the Google Buzz interface. Maybe the privacy issues will fade away. Maybe I’m underestimating the Google geniuses and they really do carefully plan these moves for maximum success. But then again, raise your hand if you’re still excited about Google Wave…
What do you think? Will Google Buzz kill the Facebook star?
