Following Steve Fraktor article on article on Google strategy I decided to dust out an drafted version of my vision of Google strategy I wrote following Google I/O 2013. Steve Faktor ask if Google will eat your business next? He is addressing this questions to start up or other innovative companies. While Google will steps on other people grass for sure, I was more impressed by the Google ability to provide an unified experience across channels and how Google might just become our next personal assistant.
Toward a unified experience
I am amazed by the work done by Google to offer a unique and comprehensive experience across its products. Google+ is becoming more a central identity management framework than a social network. Google+ is now the central repository for all your data and its where Google build your profile. For example any +1 from your network are now available through the maps or search interface. Thanks to the sign in with Google+ functionality, each Google products speaks to each other and data collected on one side is leveraged somewhere else providing an unified experience to the user and a deep profiling for Google ads program.
Each products on its own might not the best in its category (Google+ as social network, Google picture vs flikr …) but the overall experience beats most other services out there and as Steve Faktor points out, each products help to Google to get better data on you and thus better profile its ads. They also help Google to defend Internet usage time against competitors by making you staying longer on Google page rather going on Facebook.
Will Google become your next personal assistant?
Google is working hard to make the human / machine dialogue flow more naturaly. Earlier this year Google start to leverage data and technology of Metaweb and Freebase (acquire in 2010) through the Knowledge Graph. Now combine this with the release of Google Now to help you to manage your agenda, basic search and reminders and Google Voice functionality (to search, translate or write email) and you have a powerful assistant in your pocket.
The need for a back office or skills to do those basic factual searches in behalf of manager, CEO or other people will decrease, since Google is doing for you and for free. Once you taste it will be hard to live without it and you will keep feeding Google algorithms with more personal data for their ads engine …. as Steve Faktor wrote:
Every Google service is a tantalizing and addictive mix of free (or cheap) utilities that make our lives easier or more productive. […] Google accomplishes all this through a combination of organic products, non-stop upgrades, and acquisitions. Each one must create deep roots (email, contacts, smartphone) and painful switching costs (did anyone survive Apple Maps?).The intended effect of all Google services is a lot like a casino. Google wants to envelop you in its world until you can’t find the exits. Once inside, you’ll tell the dealer your life story as he takes your money…
