Last month, Google made the +1 button more like the Facebook “like” button for Google+ in the sense that when you click the button, you can now share content to your Google+ Circles. When you share content from the button, it automatically includes a link, an image and a description in the sharebox. Google calls these “+snippets”.
Google announced today that it is now including +snippets in Google Maps, making it easier to share Maps content with your Circles.
“Suppose you’re planning a weekend trip to Napa,” says Google VP of of Product Management Bradley Horowitz. “Your packing list probably includes driving directions, hotel information and a list of nearby wineries. Many of you visit Google Maps for this kind of information already. But with +snippets, Google+ users can easily share directions or places (for example) with fellow travelers. Just click “Share…” in the Google+ bar at the top of the screen, and whatever you see on Maps is what you’ll see in the sharebox—ready to share with your circles.”
“With today’s launch, Google Maps joins other Google products like Books, Offers and Product Search in having +snippets,” he adds. “And like Maps, what you see onscreen is what you share—just click on “Share…” in the Google+ bar to reveal the +snippet.”
Google says it will roll out +snippets to more Google products in the future as part of its quest to “make sharing across Google just as easy” as sharing other content with the +1 button.
Which Google products would you like to see +snippets added to?