This is going to be the first of a two-part piece on Google beyond Google+. The last few weeks have seen Google dominate the social media news landscape with the launch of their social network, Google+. Google's recent revamp of Google News got a lot less attention, but I think was also very interesting. Now, some more recent news from the company helps to shed light on where they are headed. In this post I'll examine these recent announcements. In my next post I'll put forth my opinion on where else I think Google will set their sights.
First up, Google credit cards. According to BusinessWeek:
Google is offering a select number of smaller advertisers a new way to pay for online search ads: a credit card that can only be used to pay for AdWords, the Internet search giant's keyword advertising program.
While this certainly seems smart in the short run, the long-term implications are interesting here. Does Google use this as a test program for a move to a PayPal like online payment system, or something bigger? Does Google make this card widely available to consumers and bundle it somehow with One Pass and Checkout? Online payment, and mobile payment, will continue to be growth areas moving forward, expect Google to have an answer here.
The second piece of "news" is about Google's print publication for advertisers, Think Quarterly. I put news in quotes because although the New York Times piece on it ran this weekend, I've been following the Think Quarterly Twitter account for a couple of weeks now. The Times piece also alludes to Google using the book to promote itself as a nod to a "slow data" movement, something I've mentioned in the past, using the term slow social. But more important than the medium, is the message. Think Quarterly is aimed at the same people as the Google credit cards, ad buyers.
Where else is Google going? I'll take a look at five other categories I think Google may (should?) venture into.