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What you can learn from Google’s social media failures

11 July 2010 | social-media | 0 Comment What you can learn from Google’s social media failures

For going on seven years, Google has invested a great deal of time and money into companies that would create a stunning lineup that could theoretically be pieces to a puzzle that upon completion appears to be a healthy social network. And why not? Google has grown into a major company that has dabbled in nearly every facet of business ranging from assisting the government with their satellite imagery to attempting to conglomerate real estate data.

But Google has yet to create a competitive social network. Sources point to a current social network project under Google’s belt called “GoogleMe” and rumors have been substantiated. With news of their launch, tech reporters across the globe are predicting its demise and some have gone so far as to map out Google’s continual failed attempts. For example:

What can you learn from Google?

There are many lessons to take away from Google’s attempts, but here are four to get your mind churning.

1. They’re still gigantic despite failure. These failures haven’t put Google out of business and they are still growing in size and stature. Google has the financial luxury of experimenting and they continue to do so. If you are a corporation that has an eye on innovation, especially tech innovation, you can take some risks and not necessarily go belly up. If you have the financial means and social capital to try new things, depending on your innovation methods, there might be room for you to take some risks.

2. They let others lay the track, they just put the railroad on the track. Google has bought countless companies to form their social network. Are you trying to reinvent the wheel with your company or are you partnering with others to fill in the blanks you can’t fill yourself? Are you hiring a graphic designer for your professional identity or are you opening up Photoshop and trying to figure out what layers and compression rates are? Are you hiring a digital communications company or are you opening up Twitter and saying, “I’m eating a bagel” then wondering why the leads aren’t pouring in (ahem)?

3. Most people have forgotten or never knew about their failures. The tech savvy know of some of Google’s moves, but those who don’t study this day in and day out likely have never even heard of most of the companies in the chart above. Why? Because Google has the social capital and high visibility rate with consumers to try things behind the scenes. Your company may be experimenting with a new customer service theory or a new lead management system, and your employees will know, so it feels like everyone in the world knows, but chances are, your clients never will.

4. Poor reputation due to lack of follow through. Google’s downfall is that through their failures, they have earned a reputation the tech industry as dabblers and that they lack follow through. Follow through is critical when you’re providing services that people rely on for their business. If Google magically closed their doors tomorrow, I would lose all of my email, many documents and a blog I run for a nonprofit. Experimentation can only go so far… any company that dabbles and never finishes anything isn’t truly innovative.

There IS room for innovation

If you or your company has the means and ability to complete a project, there is room for innovation. But if we look at Google as an example, they took tiny pieces out of all companies they bought and either used them or put their competition out of business. The bottom line however, is that companies and individual entrepreneurs must have a certain level of social capital with consumers to innovate and make an impact.

CC Licensed image courtesy of missha via Flickr.com.

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