Google+ goes Pro

Google+ with Google Apps, a platform for business?

I've written recently about Google+ as the true social network and so it's particularly fascinating to read this announcement today about Bringing Google+ to Work - it's a very exciting step for Google considering their already significant progress into Cloud based business applications - something that we already use across Smart Insights as it turns out.

A new business specific feature set

1. Private sharing

Google Apps users (people running Gmail for business email, Calendar and Docs) get more control over the content they post to Google+. Simply mark it as 'restricted'. These posts become private to your organisation and can never be re-shared with anyone outside. You still get the flexibility to share it with specific partners or colleagues outside the organisation as well if you choose.

Video meetings integrated with Google Apps

Thanks to Google Apps you no longer need expensive video conferencing technology. All you need is a device with a camera and an internet connection. Hangouts lets up to 10 people join a video meeting from their laptop, phone or tablet (this 10 limit is due to expand at some point, I guess it'll be charge-able).

People can already participate in a multi-way video chat, powered by Hangouts, directly from Gmail. Apps users can also open a Google doc in a hangout meeting, making it easy for colleagues to write / edit a document together from anywhere. Today Google announced that Apps users can also add a hangout to a Calendar event, allowing attendees to join the meeting directly from the invite or Calendar entry.

Administrative Controls

To help make sure users are sharing only with the people they intend, administrators can now set company-wide defaults for post restrictions. They can also enable restricted Hangouts to facilitate private meetings within the company. Important for preventing the inevitable mistakes.

There's more to come, we're told

These latest business features for Google+ are apparently "just a start". Google have a mobile version of Google+ planned for enterprise users (people who pay for Google Apps) and more administrative controls.

Great for marketing collaboration

This has to be great news for marketers collaborating with colleagues, marketing partners and even a little focussed customer interaction? It certainly jumps out as a great comms tool to use in the in agency / client processes. I also find the idea of doing low level customer market research through online focus groups of immediate interest too. It's worth noting this article on Marketing Week about Thomson (part of TUI Travel) testing such an idea as a part of the customer sales process.

A threat to LinkedIn and Facebook?

In a literal sense this move by Google certainly has to rattle Skype, and even more directly services such as GoToMeeting, Webex and companies like DimDim, but does it step into LinkedIn's space too? You'd have to think it's a big start given the potential of such free, powerful services - and Google+ already has significant wider social networking features in place?

I don't believe for one minute this is Google+ moving purely into business, I am sure their eyes are fixed on the consumer (Facebook) market, but if it can gain a two-for-one opportunity on the way, and grow it's user base in the process, it seems a very smart move.