Google Fiber Initiative a PR Success

Google’s announcement that they want to bring their experimental fiber network to select communities throughout the country can’t be described as anything other than a huge marketing and public relations success.

With their decision to ask interested communities to fill out a Request for Information in an effort to persuade Google to choose their community as a test market, they have managed to get the attention of top-level city officials and economic development gurus in communities across the country.

Here in Columbia, Missouri, the business community has rallied together with a Facebook page that as of this posting has over 1,900 fans.  Kirksville, Missouri, about 100 miles to our north and with about one-fifth of our population, has over 1,300 fans for their Facebook page.

The brilliance of Google’s move can be found in the fact that they’ve managed to make a lot of people WANT what they are offering, and want it bad.  When Google ultimately chooses one or two test markets and leaves everyone else out, people will still watch these test markets with excited anticipation waiting to see what benefits the network brings.  If it is successful, and Google starts expanding the service, they’ll have millions of people who can’t wait for it to come to them.

What about the PR ramifications if the service doesn’t work out?  Nothing major…remember, it was all just an experiment, and Google will be able to tout anything it learns from it as being a success.

Google fiber…brilliant, brilliant, brilliant PR.