Google+ to Beat Facebook with Business Version: Hangout More Efficient than Video Calling

Google’s new social media tool Google+, which has become highly popular in a few days and has prompted people to beg for invites by creating Twitter accounts dedicating to getting Google+ invites, is developing a business version of it.

Google+ Product Manager Christian Oestlien wrote on his blog and posted a video on YouTube saying the way people interact with their friends is different than how they interact in business.

We have been watching Google+ take shape over the last week and we’ve seen some really great companies get involved. But frankly we know our product as it stands is not optimally suited to their needs. In fact, it was kind of an awkward moment for us when we asked Ford for his -- or was it her? -- gender!” Oestlien wrote.

However, the Hangout feature in Google+ looks like an excellent business tool. You just have to select your business circle and launch a session to hold a video staff meeting or a conference with 10 people at a time for free. Google’s dominance over Facebook in the business arena is prominent, even with the launch of the Skype-partnered video calling.

Facebook video chat comes for free when you chat one-to-one. Skype charges extra for chatting in groups. Mark Zuckerberg did not seem to have plans to develop Facebook as a business oriented-site at the moment as he said, video chat for multiple people could eventually be available on Facebook. He also said that most video chats today occur between two people.

The new Google+ business version will be ready later this year. Until then, the company wants to try an experiment with a few marketing partners to test the brand-oriented account.