If you’ve wanted to add some social functionality to your website but aren’t a hardcore developer, then things just got a bit easier – if you’re using Drupal or Joomla. The two content management systems can now incorporate Google Friend Connect to any site with the ease of a handy dandy plugin.
If you do so, then visitors to your site can interact by signing in with their Google, Yahoo or Twitter accounts. You can promote Featured Content, get opinions with Interest Polls – and even integrate monetization through AdSense. (In fact, Google uses interests on Friend Connect to serve up relevant AdSense ads.
Google has released updates to Friend Connect that will help the tool be more, um, friendly to both web developers and their site visitors. They’re using the interests that users note in their profiles to help deliver a more personalized experience.
Custom newsletters – Friend Connect now offers newsletters. You can select to send them to your entire Friend Connect audience – or send newsletters according to interest.
Google Ads – If you have AdSense on your site, Google Friend Connect will now use the interests of a Friend Connect visitor to help serve up more relevant ads.
