Earlier this week Yahoo announced its support of Facebook Connect, with Google announcing top-line integration of Twitter with its own Google Friend Connect platform. This is not only a recognition of social network’s ability to create the new hubs of web activity, but an acknowledgment of their future power and potential.
What do large brands expect from social networks, specifically Twitter and Facebook? Will social networks ultimately become the archaic hubs we now consider Microsoft and Yahoo’s online destinations, or can these social networks promote their platform to the extent of accepted platforms that can continue to decentralize the web in a way that remains appealing to end users?
Another concern regarding large companies such as Google and Yahoo becoming more accepting of standards pushed forth by social networks is that the integration becomes more of a partnership instead of a step towards innovation that puts the consumer first. While this is a valid concern there is also the very realistic presence of business incentives around the forming of such relationships. Nevertheless, there is still the ability for the social network platforms to become the innovative drivers, which would still require a focus on the end consumer.
One good thing (so far) about Google’s approach is that it does seemingly have a focus on its consumers. The partnerships it chooses to forge, along with the brands and social networks it decides to support, could ultimately aid Google’s long term efforts to gain enough data on individuals that they can provide a personalized and comprehensive set of search results.
That reach for contextualizing everything on and off the web requires a more cooperative set of tactics, regardless of that brand’s dedication towards innovation. The innovation behind a system will be pushed to the surface when a system can no longer be self-sustained. This was Google’s in-move, and it continues to put some effort towards internal innovation for the purpose of maintaining its own leadership position.
When it’s all said and done, the company that offers the most conveniences for consumers to take advantage of will have major gains both short- and long-term. Facebook and Twitter have both found ways in which to generate value around their own platforms, which are growing quite rapidly. The race towards creating the standards we long for is going on right now, and it’s still unclear who the ultimate winner will be and what compromises will have to be made in order for the winner to take the reigning position.
