Isn't this just like Digg all over again? Bunch of internet marketers just hitting the +1 to each other's sites. I scratch your back, you scratch mine.. ? I can put up the crappiest micro niche site on earth, and just tell a bunch of folks to hit the +1 on it.
We have to see how much effective it really is. If the +1 button is actually giving SEO benefits, its got huge potential to be abused. I see very few people clicking on the +1 links though..0 in most cases..even on sites like Mashable.
I believe the +1 has no affect on ranking at all and is only a social thing. So a site can have millions of +1 marks but still wind up on page 50.
But I don't think google will let you guys cheat them. So be careful on what you wish for. I still think +1 will have a huge impact on SEO. But it's just not as easy to get +1 as Digg or Facebook. Google still the King now and who ever try to not listen to what the King said, shall die
This Google + 1 is new and Google is trying to enter the digg, stumbleupon domain. And since Google is the number one search engine, they can just about influence any one, by simply saying it will help in SERPS. What next Google will come with a Google drink (G-Drink or something ) drink it to increased page rank and get a higher position in SERP. Do you get it now?
I don't think google will take it as part of the ranking factor as the +1 system could be easily abused.
Lets hope it is better then their PR system,, what a dead duck that was,, To see guys selling parked sites with PR 4 or 5 (Maybe only one page).. and other guys with great sites and good visit numbers with no PR..
I'm guessing if Google does integrate this into their algorithm, it will have a minimal impact as they already consider so many other factors (which can equally be manipulated). I think it's an interesting move on their part to try and tap into the "sociality" of the internet...but I'm not sure how many users will actually use it. How much do I have to really like a page to click every single social-site's link? Really, sites have TONS of these now... More than I'm ever willing to do. At the same time, if a user is that passionate about something sharing on social networking sites with more instantaneous feedback (Twitter/Facebook) would get more of a response from people that I actually care about/might find the link interesting than sending a vote into the google cloud.
Good question. I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that it was asynchronous, so shouldn't really slow down your site. However I'm not sure whether its a coincidence or not, but I've just compared the speed of my site through Analytics from before and after adding the code and it seems to have had an impact on load times. -------------------------- We already know that site speed has a small influence on ranking. So if adding the +1 button does slow down your site, could it also have a negative affect on ranking? Could this negative affect outweigh any perceived positive social affects? I guess time will tell! Cheers James
My belief is its more of a social thing. If you get real people to +1 doesn't it add that info to their friends on Google so they see what you liked?
My thinking as +1 is just new so currently there is no effect on ranking but after some time its must be very useful thing for SEO as people know that FB likes effect Google ranking so may be Google wants there own like button = +1 instead of using someone else.