What’s All The ‘Buzz’ About?!

Since Facebook and Twitter isn’t fulfilling our online social-networking needs, Google has come out with its own take on it, called Google Buzz. Check out the video for an overview put out by Google, about how they describe Google Buzz. From the video, I’m still left with a few questions about how Buzz actually works, but to me it seems almost like a combination of Facebook and Twitter - combined. One of the major differences between Buzz, Facebook and Twitter, is that Buzz is directly linked to people who already have a Gmail account. If you are already using Gmail, you can follow your contacts that you already have in Gmail and publish updates and photos for an approved list of people to see.

But one has to question, what is all the Buzz about? What are the pros and cons of Buzz? And why would people want to start using this form of social networking rather than the two major forms that already dominate our online world.

One thing that will be an uphill battle for Buzz will be building an audience. People have been pretty loyal to their Facebook pages that when Twitter came out, most were not willing to make the switch or have two online social networking pages at the same time. Personally, Facebook is the only social networking site I participate in, as I think juggling a Twitter account and a Facebook account is too much for me. So for me, Buzz would have to offer something extremely different or more convenient features that Facebook does not have. In my search to learn more about Google Buzz, I came across a blog post which offers arguments for and against Buzz.

Another reason I’m unsure of the success of Google Buzz is that in order to use Buzz, you have to have a Gmail account. For myself, I have used a Hotmail account since MSN first became popular back in grade school. I’m comfortable with my Hotmail account and currently have no use for a Gmail account and I’m sure I’m not the only one. Many other people are probably already settled into their email accounts and not interested in leaving then to create a new one and share their email address with all contacts and make that shift.

The main reason I don’t believe Google Buzz to be successful is the fact that Buzz has come too late in social-networking sites. Facebook has been around for more than five years, first emerging as a social-networking tool for college students in the United States. Once the idea was successful there, it expanded to university students and then eventually to the mass online consumer culture. Twitter then came along, with some alterations from Facebook, but now users have the ability to ‘follow’ celebrities. Buzz is more than five years behind these two and I’m curious to see if it will be successful or not. If I were to make any prediction about the success of Buzz, I think it will have a hard time competing with Facebook and Twitter, despite the features it offers. Can’t see myself signing up for a Gmail account and Buzz anytime soon, can you?