Google Plus 1 Button

[GrouchyKids]

Aside from your blog would anyonme here think about adding the Google Plus 1 Button to their website?

[RyanKent]

Definitely.

Most sites already use the facebook like and twitter tweet buttons. Anywhere and everywhere you offer those buttons, the Google +1 button can be offered.

Prior to the +1 button the system I recommened was a 3 social sharing button approach: facebook, twitter and AddThis. AddThis offers access to 300+ social sharing tools. When Google +1 was released, I simply added the 4th button. It was quick, easy and I already have seen some small usage of it.

A few people want to take the "let's wait and see" approach with +1, but I think that's a mistake. There is really no downside to it at all and it does offer benefits.

To anyone not already using social sharing buttons on their site all I can say is WAKE UP. Show me a site that doesn't take advantage of social sharing buttons and I'll show you a site that doesn't care about SEO. There is a lot more to say, but I'll stop here as the question was about Google +1

[dignan99]

So do you add it to each page as well as post?

[MarieHaynes]

I'm mostly agreed.  But, the one downside I have seen after adding +1 to my sites is that it slows down page loading time.

Regardless, I still have added it.  And I'm still waiting for someone to actually use it, LOL!

[RyanKent]

I think your question is geared specifically towards forum or blog websites.

Many forums or blogs are mostly focused on the original post. Matt Cutts writes an article and then others want to know about it so the social sharing would be focused on the original article.

On the other hand, some sites offer valuable information in the replies. For those sites, you can add the ability to socially share each comment or post on it's own.

It is easy enough to do. If the buttons get used, then it is definitely worth having them. If the buttons are not used, then they take up space without offering much value.

Looking at this SEOmoz Q&A area, the buttons could easily be added after the thumbs up/down icons. That actually makes me wonder why SEOmoz doesn't use any social sharing widgets. I guess Roger is just being lazy.

[dignan99]

If the buttons are slowing down your page loading time to that significant of a degree, you might take your Commodore 64 into the shop.

If the load times are actually that slow, I would take a hard look at who is hosting the websites in question.

[RyanKent]

Ok dignan gets a thumbs up from me because he is the first mozzer to make me actually laugh out loud upon reading his reply.

@Dunamis, I really don't believe the +1 button would ever slow your page loads. Yes, it is another domain lookup and GET request, but you already are using google anyway for GA.

Do you use a FF browser by chance? There is an issue with FF where a loaded page still shows as loading at times, and you will see a fully loaded widget as still loading.

[DonnieCooper]

Ryan Kent, I agree with you. In SEO, you're either an early adopter, or a late-comer. Thumbs up for you sir.

Just in case of the small chance some people haven't seen this yet, I wanted to share it...

http://code.google.com/apis/+1button/

[blu42media]

I agree with adding it as well - anywhere there is potential for creating social awareness/buzz about the topic at hand.  As for usage, it's like anything else...  We're all tuned into Google on day 1 releasing this as a new feature; it will take a bit for regular users to get into using it and the impact it will have on their time spent on the web.

[GrouchyKids]

How did you add it to addthis Ryan thru the developer account?

[RyanKent]

Not at all. The AddThis code is very straightforward. Understanding code is not required.

If you currently use AddThis, then add the below line of code to your existing widget.:

<a class="addthis_button_google_plusone" g:plusone:size="medium"></a>

[GrouchyKids]

Thanks Ryan I will check it out...