After looking at some of the lesser publicized recent moves by Google, in this post I want to turn my attention to other areas Google is already, or I think might soon, point their gaze. Similarly, Steve Rubel has also taken a look at Three Key Things Google Is Doing While We Focus On Google+. It’s a really smart post, I strongly recommend you take a read. In it he draws some interesting conclusions that reinforce my thinking on areas I think Google may move into. My thinking is predicated on Google’s “Search and Social” pincer movement. By staking out strong bases in both those areas, Google can now corral important areas, some big, some small but crucial, as they continue to gobble up people’s online time.  These areas include:

1. Music

Digital music is clearly a huge area, from iTunes and Amazon to Pandora and the recently introduced to America, Spotify. Well, Google isn’t going to be left out of this, Google Music is currently in beta.

And yes, it works on your Android mobile device.

2. Influence Ranking

The +1 button is gaining adoption across the web quickly. This makes an easy entry point for Google to create their own influencer ranking to rival Klout and PeerIndex. Once people like Rober Scoble, Chris Brogan and Ashton Kutcher realize that posting content to Google+ and getting +1s will significantly affect their Googlefluence (yeah, I’m totally trademarking that), Google can own the important online influence category. I think many people would see a Googlefluence score as being more credible than the others (and of course, other people would not). In all, they’ll create a virtuous circle in which people will be using Google tools and platforms to increase their scores.

3. Social TV

If I was GetGlue, I would be worried. With GoogleTV, Google’s search will be complemented by the social aspects of Google+. The next step is to add a further social layer a la GetGlue.  Interacting with shows and brands via a GoogleGlue platform would provide Google with a rich data mine for advertisers.

4. Location Based Services – Google Places

Foursquare, Gowalla and even Facebook Places also seem vulnerable to me. Google Places just recently removed 3rd party reviews, putting a focus on Google-generated content. Will Google+ and Google Places see some integration soon?

5. Automotive

Between Google maps and their high quality mobile navigation, along with music and search and Android connection, a Ford Sync-like service could easily be rolled out to all auto manufacturers.

When you add all these together, you can see Google really owning the content and connections people create and have across a wide swath.  I didn’t even touch upon more business or institutional areas like medical or insurance records, finance, education or auctions to name a few.

Facebook launched a damp squib earlier this month with their product launch 2011 press conference, and I think they’ve really got their work cut out for them. Google might not have their auteur but they’ve got a lot of really smart people and the drive and focus of the Terminator. Don’t bet against them, at least not right now.

Google is everywhere, or soon will be

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.