The growth of trending topics during sporting or entertainment events or popular TV shows like Q&A (hashtag #qanda) show how realtime media can shape experience and conversation in realtime social networks. Twitter is certainly aware of this:

We’ve long discussed what the interplay between Twitter and television would look like. As a first step, today we’re announcing Twitter for Google TV. It brings Twitter to a platform that merges the Internet and TV into one experience.

Twitter is not the only third party building for Google TV. When it launches in the USA, Google TV promises the following:

Google TV will be shipping with at least the following applications: Netflix, Twitter, CNBC, Pandora, Napster, NBA Game Time, Amazon Video On Demand and Gallery.

Most of these apps provide content with only limited scope to add more to the feed or space. The user interface of Google’s YouTube Leanback is a good indication of where Google TV is heading for now in regards to user generated content. For example, the highly active comment threads from YouTube are not visible. In this case, it might not be much of a loss. However, content sharing is still a part of the experience.

Google TV will be more focused on content consumption over creation, but given how it is expected to be used, this should not be a surprise. Where Google TV will be interesting is in how existing and new social interactions through commentary, content creation and content sharing will be implemented, encouraged and involved with user participation.

Why the Site

Devoting all content creation and administration resources to single site or community is no longer the best strategy. Internet users seek out different content in different formats for different platforms. What meets their needs on their mobile phones will be different to what they want on their desktop computer, or their netbook, web-enabled TV, or tablet device. After all, social media is just people being people online, and what they use and how is a result of this.

The kind of platform and task they want to complete changes how they search for, evaluate and use content. From asking their social network for advice, to searching for product demonstrations on YouTube or store locations on Google Maps.

There is a need for the ‘Big Website’ and campaign or product specific microsites. While there is a need for control over a hub to facilitate list building, acquire links and generate direct navigation traffic, sites and microsites will be a part of the mix. While Facebook is not likely to suffer the same fate as Blogetery, developing content on external platforms also comes with a certain level of risk.

Being visible across multiple, relevant platforms, sites and communities gives brands the chance to manage the user’s experience of the brand. Providing compelling content and engaging with customers, the brand can develop on its campaigns further, ensure that customer service queries can be responded to and clarify information about their products.

Creating brand touchpoints like fan pages is an “as well as”, not an “instead of” developing microsites and promoting the the brand’s main web presence. They are an opportunity to put content in front of the customer in the place that they already are, and in a format tailored for the situation. A YouTube channel, Second Life store and a Facebook page are not a substitute for the spaces online that the brand controls.