10.07
There continues to be a lot of chatter on the social media front about Google Wave, which was opened up to a meager 100,000 users last week via private invitations. But the verdict is still out. Some users already call it a game changer, while others openly question its practicality and usefulness compared to existing online communication (email, instant messaging, etc.) and social media technologies. It begs to question if Google has developed a collaboration tool that society still needs to grow into.
Despite the buzz, a lot of marketers may not know exactly what Google Wave is, or how it could possibly impact B2B marketing. Explaining the “product” concisely seems to be challenge number one, even for professional communicators. One of the best descriptions I’ve come across was on Wall Street Journal’s Digits blog:
“Wave, which Google previewed in May, is a new way for businesses and consumers to collaborate. It blends elements of email, wikis, instant messaging and social networking to try to make it easier for people to plan everything from a dinner to a presentation, in real time.
Like email, users of Wave will have a basic inbox online where they can view all their current conversations, known as Waves. But these conversations aren’t just messages. They are online desktops where people can drag, drop and comment on media. To add to a Wave, they create a “blip,” which is like a message.
Wave also supports software applications, so a Wave could launch a game or publish to a blog.”
Confused? While this video oversimplifies Google Wave’s capabilities, it’s a good starting point for understanding how it could be used in the workplace:
For now, it looks like a great divide between fun vs. function. Most of us who aren’t developers or related to someone working for Google will simply have to wait until the company decides to extend invitations to a larger group of participants. Then we’ll see if our companies (or personal lives) are in fact ready to ride the wave.
Related posts:
Oh, to be the kind of mover and shaker who received one of the initial invitations. I can’t wait to see it. It’s a rilliant launch strategy to get the masses (like me) drooling over something they can’t yet have. Beats launching to everyone only to have the rank and file (like me) taking shots at it.
Melissa
Melissa – You’re right … Google’s strategy certainly did get them the attention they were looking for. I’m looking forward to trying it out too, but a lot of the feedback I’m hearing is that Wave is only useful if people you normally communicate with are also using the application. I’m so curious to see how it all plays out!