Google has started to test its Friend Connect feature that lets website owners add social features to their website by just embedding ‘off-the-shelf’ code. The system is sure to make sites offer community rich features. Visitors can log in with their existing social networks login details – Google says visitors will be able to pull from their Facebook, Google Talk, hi5, orkut and Plaxo network – and interact with existing friends on the site they are visiting. It could be a big boost to sites like PSFK who have regular readers. Here’s a video that summarizes the features:
Google gives some simple examples about how this might work:
- A cooking site – Review a recipe and provide comments which clarify or improve it. Add a recipe to a social recipe box that appears across multiple cooking sites.
- A musician’s site – Post pictures from your latest concert on the band’s site, and communicate directly with your fans.
- An extreme sports site – Play a motor cross game, then compare your score to friends and other site members.
- An academic site – Discuss and review articles in context with colleagues and the broader community. Filter the discussion to colleagues only, or widen your view. Forge connections with new participants whose comments seem particularly insightful.
- A shopping site – Read expert reviews and tips right next to the camera you’re thinking of buying, and find a friend who has already purchased the same item.
- A philanthropic site – Cultivate a community around your cause, post pictures at fund raisers, let donors connect, and involve their friends.
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wow. wild concept….this could really be a game changer. bringing social networks to virtually any existing webpage on the net. thanks for bringing this to my attention!
May 14th, 2008 at 2:59 am