Google has launched its new '+1" button. This is Google's most recent venture into the social scene, although they are still saying they are not endeavoring (yet) to craft a social network to rival Facebook and twitter, among others.
The +1 button is a miniature icon that will become featured in searches done on Google. The idea is that when you see a search result you like, you will +1 it, thus telling others in your Google social group that you like the result. 
A Google social group consists of all the people that are linked to you via your Google profile, mostly, those in your Gmail address book and the people you chat with using the Google chat feature.
Everyone has the choice of whether or not to want their +1 to be public or not, by checking or un-checking the appropriate box in their preferences area. If one goes public, then anyone who is in their Google social group will be able to see that they +1'd a search result.
A small bit of text usually shows up beneath the search result saying something like, 'Jackie +1'd this'. However, if someone chooses not to go public, then their +1 will still be counted and added to a text saying something like '1,000 others +1'd this' but would not show the person’s name to his/her contacts.
Google has alleged that the +1 feature will definitely have an effect on search engine rankings. This is obviously a concern for website owners and search engine optimization companies alike. The +1 button is not available to be added to a website at this time, and Google says that feature is months away.
So, in the meantime, how is this little button going to affect a site's ranking?
In addition to showing the +1 on search results, the button will also be available for Google AdWords. If someone sees an ad you like, they can +1 it. This does not count as a click for the advertiser.
Google feels that this will be a big plus for AdWord advertisers because people will be more likely to click on an ad that their friends have already +1'd.
Google already had a social search feature. A user could connect their Twitter, Facebook, Flickr and other accounts with their Google account. At this time, only your Google-based connections will be used for the +1 feature.
People throughout the Internet are questioning what +1 really means. Is Google going to try and create a social network to rival Facebook? No one really knows at this point. One thing is for sure; +1 is going to radically affect search engine rankings. It is also unclear how +1 is going to affect the Google toolbar.
It appears like Google may need a new-fangled means of assessing a site's popularity in this world of linking tribulations. But it is also going to generate a ton of confusion for the average site owner who just wants a good ranking for their site.
Without the current option of putting a +1 button on their sites like they can with the Facebook Like button, it will take an expert on all of these new developments to keep a good search engine ranking for sites.
One such company is Jcyber.com, a SEO company that is currently staying on top of all these new developments in Google. They offer all the tools and all the assistance that the average site owner might need to understand all the intricacies of the +1.
