Google Plus one, if you don’t do it for you, do it for SEO

Google released its +1 button. Basically, when someone likes you, he/she clicks on the button to show their appreciation.
it means that google will have access to millions of people’s  vote (a bit like the facebook “like” button).

What is google going to do with this piece of information?
Well, they included it in their rankings algorithm to know where to show your website when someone searches for what your website deals with.
To which extend?
We don’t know, experience will tell. The impact of this +1 button is not known for now. They just said they’ll take it into account.

What I think ?
Ok, so I see on the forums people arguing that this information won’t really be used because people can create fake accounts. That is simply not possible. And here is why :

-    Facebook (the enemy) has already this “likes” and has millions of them, if google doesn’t react now, facebook could build … a better search engine than google. And let me tell you this is the biggest threat the mountain view company is facing.

-    If they are smart, and I bet they are, their algorithm will take into account numbers that will separate fake accounts with real ones : is the google account used everyday?  Is it open since a long time? Do they correspond with more than 100 / 1000 people? They have access to data that could help them differentiate most part of fake and real accounts. They would be stupid not to use it (and again, I believe they are not)

-    They make you work for them for free ! yes, they have wonderful computers, but what if they had millions of people liking something, wouldn’t that be a sign that this something is interesting, probably, somehow ? yes.

Should you add that button?
Well, if traffic, visitors, prospects, clients, buyers, are important to you. Then YES you should. If you don’t care about it (then can you remind me why the hell did you open a website ? ;)

Where to find it to add it to your website?

here : http://www.google.com/intl/en/webmasters/+1/button/index.html