Google Friend Connect - Web 2.0 for All
By infinite
Google Friend Connect
Google has done it again, with another groundbreaking landmark in the development of the Internet.
They have made the entire Internet into a Giant Social Network.
They have created a way that any website can have social networking type features added to it instantly.
These features will allow your visitors to join your site, browse and interact with friends on your website and invite all their friends from most of the top Social Networks creating a constant viral stream of targeted personally invited people to your site.
I am sure everybody was wondering how the whole Internet was going to be upgraded to Web 2.0 standards, well Google have created yet another "Copy and Paste" solution by creating Google Friend Connect.
Google Friend Connect is quite simply a selection of social networking features in the form of gadgets that you can add to any existing website by simply copying and pasting the code for the various gadgets into your web pages.
The main set of social gadgets includes:
- Member management - allowing control over the members of the site
- Message board - allowing people to leave comments
- Picture-sharing - allowing people to share pictures
- Reviews - allowing people to write reviews
The members gadget is the key gadget that brings it all together by creating the viral traffic aspect and provides these core social features:
- The ability to sign-in with a existing Google, Yahoo, AIM, or OpenID account
- The ability to invite and show activity to existing friends from social networks
- The ability to browse member profiles across social networks
- The ability to connect with new friends on your site
These are only the core gadgets that Google has released but not long ago they released OpenSocial Gadgets allowing 3rd party developers to create gadgets with a common API for social applications across multiple websites, that can similarly be copied and pasted into a site creating a huge amount of Web 2.0 social and functional features that can be instantly added to any site.
The Fact is that this is going to change Everything and I mean Everything!
This is Going to change web design, SEO, Internet marketing, online sales and even social interaction itself.
This is going to create huge opportunities for everybody, some of the obvious people who will benefit from this will be:
- Website owners will benefit from automatic and increasing free traffic to their sites increasing sales of products or advertising served such as Google AdSense.
- Coders and developers will benefit from developing new Open Social Gadgets for them selves or clients.
- Internet marketers who will benefit from finding new ways of internet marketing and generating large amounts of traffic with these new viral social features.
- Web designers are the main market that Google has targeted Friend Connect at since they are expected to be the work force that will add these features to the entire web. Consider for a second that 99% of the web is not Web 2.0 enabled and that if you are not a web designer then perhaps you might consider becoming one very quickly considering on how lucrative that position just became over night by being able to effectively add the gadgets to peoples websites?
What ever you do, it would be wise to be one step ahead...
The new order of the day is Quality of Design, Functionality and Content. This is the most valuable thing to focus on now because it doesn't help having these viral social features if nobody likes your website or wants to invite their friends to it.
With such a big change in how the internet works we are bound to see some new and amazing things emerge.
The following videos made by Google show examples and explain everything in detail.
Google Friend Connect is Now Available :)
Google Friend Connect - Example Adding To Sample Website
Google Friend Connect - Campfire One: (pt. 1)
Google Friend Connect - Campfire One: (pt. 2)
Google Friend Connect - Campfire One: (pt. 3)
Google Friend Connect - Campfire One: (pt. 4)
Web development tools to add Friend Connect to your website
![Adobe Contribute CS5 [Old Version]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41cgP8QaydL._SL75_.jpg) | Amazon Price: $191.00 List Price: $199.00 |
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![Macromedia Studio 8 for Win/Mac [Old Version]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/410VZDFH8QL._SL75_.jpg) | Amazon Price: $199.98 List Price: $999.00 |
 | Amazon Price: $399.00 |
Google Friend Connect - Important Links
- Official Google Blog: Google Friend Connect: now available
- Google Friend Connect In Action
Google Friend Connect has just been made available to the masses and anybody can now add it to their website or blog... and Google has just plugged it into Blogger which means Hellooooo Web2.0 :) - Sign Up For Google Friend Connect
- Google Press Center: News Announcement
- Official Google Blog: A friend connected web
- Google brings Friend Connect to the masses | Outside the Lines ...
Comments
I'll have to check it out also. Sounds interesting.
Thanks
We learn as long as we live. Can never be to much friends.
First Eagle, Thor Einar
I will also be looking at Google.
Than k you
Leave it to Google to develop and implement something to potentially revolutionize the Web 2.0 scene. I will check this out. Thanks! Steph
I never knew about this i wiil check this out thankx for info
Great information! Google never ceases to amaze me.
This is going to come in very handy when I start a blog, which I hope will be soon. Thanks for the terrific information.
I've never heard of this, but it sounds amazing, as usual
It'll be interesting to see how it stacks up against Facebook's Friend Connect, which is a very similar concept. Either way, should make the Web even more interactive!
Good post :)
I can't wait to try this one out! Thank you for sharing the info.
-Nicki B.
Great Post. But Google Friend Connect - web 2.0 is only available to limited number of website owners.
Actually it is for everybody, only a limited number for the previewers release before they release it to all, on the home page it states:
"Please note: this is a preview release. Google Friend Connect is being made available to a limited number of site owners as it approaches general availability."
General Availability meaning everybody.
Informative Hub, Thanks for writing it,
C.S.Alexis
See, if it weren't for people like you and hubs like this, I'd never know anything about anything but what I find myself. Cool stuff like this is not to found where I stumble about. Thanks.
The potential of this is mind blowing!.
Thank you for the info.
Very interesting and informative! Thanks.
Great Hub, Thanks for the info.
good hub having new and original content.
Really liked this one...
Wow,
Very informative hub. The possibilities of this type of social network are endless. I wonder where this will lead to next?
Thanks sounds cool!
Brilliant...
I will check it out thank you for the info I am always open to new things.
Sounds interesting and seems very familiar to Facebook as mentioned by smallbizpro. Will check this out when time permits. Thanks.
Thanks for this. We will have to find out more.
Amazing stuff here. Can't wait!
Sounds like great fun. Thanks for the info!
Wow this really is a huge deal! I better look into asap. Thanks for the info.
thanks for the very comprehensive coverage.
Wow. I love the Google. :)
Thanks for posting - I will have to check it out. I use Google every day... now just another reason to visit their site.
I'll have to take a look. It could certainly help gererate traffic to my website.
Thanks for the info!
Google is at it again. They have always been innovative. Great HuPr
A very informative hub! Thanks for being generous with what you know about Google.
And of course, thank you for joining my fan club.
franciaonline
Fantastic!! thanks for sharing this with US Infinity :)
Excellent.
great hub
Excellent hub and information. Thanks for sharing,
Mike Witt
Now This is some cutting-edge stuff ~ Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for the run through, great hub!
One of my favorite features as you said is the ability to make new friends. Thank YOU for sharing this.
~Expect Miracles
Never knew about this ,thanks for the info
Thanks much for the info.
dwolters 3 years ago
Hmm....I'll have to go to google and check it out! Thanks for the info!