+1 Button No Longer in Google SERPs

[webguru11]

Uptill now, Google used to show all results with its +1 button. Now, you have to mouse over a result to see it. However, +1 is still visible wherever applicable. Also, if you’ve already +1’d it, or your friends have, you’ll be able to see the button without the mouse rollover.

Although this is not a major change per se, one has to wonder if this will result in more or less clicks on the +1 button from search results. Also, +1 is a social signal for Google. This new step might weaken the strength of the signal.

[a2k]

In my opinion only very few would +1 on the search results anyway, because they have not seen the final page yet and therefore have no criteria. Google still knows how many +1s have been made to a page and will value it accordingly for its positioning in the SERPs

[FrancisLFoster]

Facebook and Twitter are so deeply integrated (technologically and psychologically) that Google is going to have to throw everything it has into getting people to switch to G+.

I personally don't know anyone who uses G+ over facebook. Even techie people haven't really made the switch (in my experience).

It will be interesting to see what they try next...