Google Buzz ‘Not Trying to Lure Facebook Users’

by Stephen Logan on 12th February 2010

Search engine Google is not trying to entice Facebook users to abandon the social networking site in favour of its new Buzz service.

Jason Fells, social media consultant and founder of Social Media Explorer, explained that they are two "very different animals", with Buzz only adding to Gmail’s capability to share content rather than turn the site into a network.

The new application allows Gmail users to post content for others to see, with other members able to comment on anything shared.

Mr Fells suggested that the move is most likely intended to make its email service more appealing

He explained: "Google is your office. Facebook is the bar you stop at on the way home. You like both, they’re both important to you for different reasons, but you don’t have to give one."

In his view, the two companies will compete in some ways, but Google still offers many tools that Facebook does not, such as being a much more capable medium for the delivery of SEO services.