You may notice we’ve added a Google +1 button to our blog (It’s on the left above “Recent Posts”)
According to Google’s Matt Cutts, Google’s +1 button is going to be a ranking signal. In other words, it will be used by Google as one way to assess which sites should appear at the top of the Search Engine rankings. Those sites that have the +1 button, and have many “votes”, may be ranked above those that don’t (all things being equal).
It works in a similar way to Facebook’s “Like” button. If you like a page or web site, simply click on the +1 button on that site.
For more information, see http://www.google.com/+1/button/
If you’d like to try out the button, please feel free to +1 this page!
Curiously, when I first read the blog using Google Chrome, I couldn’t see the button, but when I switched to IE, I could. That seems like something of an own goal on Google’s part.
Hmm, you have to have a Google account before it registers your vote. I’m not sure that I want to give Google my personal details.
As on Facebook, companies will find ways to optimise their rankings, such as links to mindless competitions But maybe with more serious consequences: Google filters our access to the internet. Is 1+ as innocent as it looks?
Still thinking about the whole +1 thing, but FWIW it looks fine in my Chrome (12.0.742.112), as do other +1 sites.
I think you need a GMail or YouTube account.