Google +1? Do you like it?

We have already suggested that personal recommendations will provide the next generation of online marketing tools. Facebook made a start with this using their “like” button to allow members to inform friends of their positive opinions of websites and other Facebook accounts.

The Google +1 button has taken this idea forward allowing people who are logged into a Google account to provide a personal vote of approval for individual webpages found in the search results page or if set up correctly from an individual webpage.

How do I +1?
When you are logged into your Google Account a grayed out Google +1 logo will appear to the right of each result on the Google Search Pages, by simply clicking this button you publicly provide a vote of approval for this page/site.

What happens next?
Google will associate your fellow Google contacts, for example Google will look for contact that you communicate with that also have Google Accounts.

When on of these people search for a keyword relating to a web page you liked they will see your personal vote of approval, if they also Google +1 this link then as you can see the recommendation will snowball.

We also think that the position of these links on the search engine are also affected by the Google +1 effect with websites appearing higher on Googles Search Engine Results Page for related contacts. We also wonder when Google have enough data from this activity and are confident with the value of the data will these positions be incorporated within public results?