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Social Media Boundaries Merge

When social media hits town, it’s time to pay attention. What are the the big players are up to?
 
Quite frankly, the boundaries between Facebook, Twitter and Google+ seem to be merging every day.
 
Here are some recent developments in the social media marketplace.
 

• Google, the search engine powerhouse, is becoming more like Facebook, the social media giant with the arrival of its Google+ social media platform.

• Facebook is becoming more like Twitter with the opportunity now to follow non friends.

• Twitter is now joining Facebook by having paid adverts on it’s site.

• Facebook has adjusted it’s privacy settings, so you can choose what you share with whom. The timing of this closely follows the introduction of  the Google+ circles, which allows choices for privacy settings. It looks a rapid response from Facebook which had been receiving pressure following the earlier opening up of its privacy restrictions.

 
With all these moves and counter moves going on in social media, there is a temptation to think the inevitable.
 
Is it just a matter of time before all three offer practically identical services?
 
We will have to wait to discover the answer.
 
However, with such strong social media brands, Google+ Facebook and Twitter should all stand the test of time, even we end up with a similar service offering as a result of the competition for users.
 
Social media clearly is a good market to be in, with the worlds’ social media appetite continuing to grow and fuel demand.
 
This means more revenues from advertising and potential share flotations, so odds are high for even bigger and better social media services in a few years time.
 
The Google+ brand, although newer, looks to be setting some new rules and bringing welcome changes.
 
The good news is that Facebook and Twitter are not resting on their laurels either.
 
They are quick to respond to the new social media kid on the block.
 
So which social media buttons will you be adding to your websites and blogs?
 
I think we all know the answer to that one – all three, and probably more.
 
Enjoy your social media moments.
 
Author: Steve Johnson is a Digital Marketing Consultant at SEO Allardice, Twickenham, London, United Kingdom.
 
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