In a many ways, Facebook ‘Likes’ have got the universal reach and become a symbol for what is and isn’t cool online. The internet giant Google wants to redefine it with the new  ’+1′ button

What is Google’s +1  button

The +1 button, Google’s new experiment, is shorthand for “this is pretty cool” or “you should check this out.”  By clicking +1, you can to publicly give something your stamp of approval. Your +1′s can help friends, contacts, and others on the web find the best stuff when they search.

+1 will be integrated directly into Google’s search engine, and will serve pretty much the same purpose as a Facebook ‘Like’ does.

Google defines this action as a “public stamp of approval,” and it is exactly that. When you +1 something, your name becomes associated with that link “in search, on ads, and across the web,” according to the company. It also shows up in a feed on your Google Profile, which is required to use the product.

Users will begin seeing +1 icons next to their search results very soon. Right now, Google’s looking to create a way for web surfers to +1 something without having to leave the publisher’s site—a lot like a Facebook ‘Like’, which currently has the upper hand since it’s so heavily used across the web. The only difference here, is that Google’s +1 system will directly influence its market share dominating search rankings.

Watch Google’s explanation below:

In another twist, users will also be able to +1 ad, which essentially adds a “recommended by friends” component to AdWords and AdSense. as the company explains on the AdWords blog.