Google starts putting Meebo to use: New social sharing bar spotted on Google+

It looks like Google has begun putting its acquisition of Meebo to use after a chat bar looking very much like that of the advertising startup was spotted in the wild on Google+ ? screenshot below.

Google made it clear that it bought Meebo ? which was popular with advertisers but despised by many Internet users for?incessantly?clogging space ? specifically for its Google+ team back in June, and it looks like the company is testing, or beginning to roll out, a Meebo-inspired bar to increase user engagement on the service.

Now the bar has cropped up on the Google social network, where user Clayton Pritchard?ran into it when visiting the TV Guide Google+ page.?As you can see, the bar allows users to see notifications and sharing options on the right side, while it contains information about the page and content with in on the left. The share buttons enlarge when clicked on to bring up a familiar box through which users can share, +1 or comment on a Google+ status.

It?s worth noting that it is unclear whether the screenshot was taken on a phone, tablet or via a computer.

The sharing options are usually present at the top of a page so, by presenting them in the bar which floats at the bottom of a user?s screen, Google could well see more shares and activity from users.

We expect that there is more to come from Meebo and the team working at Google+. Given the lucrative revenues that Meebo was making publishers, we?d expect some kind of money-making initiative ? such as monetized chat ? might emerge, in addition to plans that help increase user engagement levels.

This month saw Google launch Google+ communities, add?16 new features and provide?an update on the service?s overall user numbers. The company says?Google+ has more than 500 million registered users, of which?235 million actively use its features (+1?ing apps in Google Play, hanging out in Gmail, connecting with friends, etc) while 135 million are active in the stream only.

We?ve reached out to Google for comment.

Hat tip Google Plus Updates, feature image via?orijinal/ / Flickr

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TnwGoogle/~3/CaMCcudwZ8o/

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