Google Buzz finally adds sharing buttons to websites

Google’s controversial service Buzz was supposed to represent “a Google approach to sharing,” but until today that was limited to sharing content within Google’s own services. If you a found cool article on VentureBeat, for example, you’d have to copy the link into Buzz — there was no button to press that would instantly share the story. But Google announced this morning that it has created an easy way for publishers to add Buzz buttons to their sites.

Popular tech blogs TechCrunch and Mashable have already built their own Buzz buttons, but not every site has the technical resources or the willingness to do so when the traffic boost for such a new service is uncertain. With Google’s tool, the company says publishers can just copy a few lines of JavaScript into their site. It’s also integrating with other sharing services, so you can find a Buzz button in ShareThis, Meebo, Shareholic, AddThis and AddtoAny

The new features should help Buzz’s distribution and visibility and will perhaps persuade more users to think of Buzz as another sharing tool alongside Facebook and Twitter rather than something that violates their privacy.

You’ve probably noticed, however, that we haven’t got Buzz buttons on VentureBeat yet. I’m not directly involved in our tech decisions, but that’s definitely something we’re considering as part of a long list of other possible improvements. And if you really want us to add a button ASAP, the comments section would be a good place to let us know.