Why Google Buzz won't Work
Paul Branson
March 19, 2010
The latest in the news is Google has asked Microsoft to advise them on why Google Buzz missed the mark with users and consumers around the world. But why ask Microsoft? Why not ask someone who understands and appreciates people are the driving force of any brand, product or service around the world.
Microsoft is the least of trusted veterans of the online world despite having the monopoly on operating and browser systems of the world. Microsoft is now struggling to fight off Google Chrome and Firefox with its release of IE9 in 2010.
Microsoft also seems to be losing ground in the X-Box Live world of online gaming. So for Google to be asking Microsoft for advice perhaps indicates who Google most admires and trusts. Yet business is business and Google and Microsoft are also global competitors.
Google Buzz was aimed at individuals "buzzing" friends they most communicate with and know already. To me not much different from a Yahoo, Skype or MSN messenger with a web-cam. And this is the reason I believe Google Buzz failed. It failed because people already have a wealth of online platforms and applications to choose from to communicate with their friends and family. Facebook, MySpace and Twitter are leaders in the social networking arena and if Google Buzz is going to impact or correctly enter that arena it has to build a better mousetrap or social experience.
Further, regardless of the platform or applications developed what users, consumers as people want, do and need cannot be ignored or your brand, product or service will fail. Google Buzz could not compete or replace the Facebook experience because it was not designed to. Perhaps, Google is secretly more concerned about global data collection and geo-mapping, and building apparatus that intrude and invade the privacy of G-mail or online users.
I truly believe Google is following the footsteps of Microsoft ignoring the wants, needs, desires and privacy of the online world. This is not the way for Google to dethrone or effectively compete with Facebook and if Google chooses to continue ignoring what people around the world intelligently are sensitive and aware of and people do not like the big brother direction the Internet is going in. Google could lose all.
Google Buzz may have made it if it was taken out of G-Mail completely and set on its own social-networking platform and renamed GoogleBook. Which then encompasses a better and wider experience than Facebook with a virtual gaming, shopping, searching, chat, networking, advertizing experience fully equipped with conference rooms and full interactive modules. This is more a robust, advanced development that would get people of the world excited and "buzzing" for more. One good example of social exploration and success is Second-Life try designing GoogleBook around that and watch the success.
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Microsoft is the least of trusted veterans of the online world despite having the monopoly on operating and browser systems of the world. Microsoft is now struggling to fight off Google Chrome and Firefox with its release of IE9 in 2010.
Microsoft also seems to be losing ground in the X-Box Live world of online gaming. So for Google to be asking Microsoft for advice perhaps indicates who Google most admires and trusts. Yet business is business and Google and Microsoft are also global competitors.
Google Buzz was aimed at individuals "buzzing" friends they most communicate with and know already. To me not much different from a Yahoo, Skype or MSN messenger with a web-cam. And this is the reason I believe Google Buzz failed. It failed because people already have a wealth of online platforms and applications to choose from to communicate with their friends and family. Facebook, MySpace and Twitter are leaders in the social networking arena and if Google Buzz is going to impact or correctly enter that arena it has to build a better mousetrap or social experience.
Further, regardless of the platform or applications developed what users, consumers as people want, do and need cannot be ignored or your brand, product or service will fail. Google Buzz could not compete or replace the Facebook experience because it was not designed to. Perhaps, Google is secretly more concerned about global data collection and geo-mapping, and building apparatus that intrude and invade the privacy of G-mail or online users.
I truly believe Google is following the footsteps of Microsoft ignoring the wants, needs, desires and privacy of the online world. This is not the way for Google to dethrone or effectively compete with Facebook and if Google chooses to continue ignoring what people around the world intelligently are sensitive and aware of and people do not like the big brother direction the Internet is going in. Google could lose all.
Google Buzz may have made it if it was taken out of G-Mail completely and set on its own social-networking platform and renamed GoogleBook. Which then encompasses a better and wider experience than Facebook with a virtual gaming, shopping, searching, chat, networking, advertizing experience fully equipped with conference rooms and full interactive modules. This is more a robust, advanced development that would get people of the world excited and "buzzing" for more. One good example of social exploration and success is Second-Life try designing GoogleBook around that and watch the success.
InfoGuruShop.Com
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