Since Google +1 continues to accelerate gradually, there's a big question to be answered:

Is this skyrocketing or a crash down toward earth that we're witnessing? It's not surprising that +1 has taken some time to get results, especially ones that are highly visible on the search engines.

As with many social web elements, +1s gain more power the more any user sees their friends +1ing. But will it be enough?

For Google, the +1 mechanism isn't a small deal. Beyond being the equivalent of a "like," which will be an important part of the Google+ social network, Google is relying on +1 to provide social search features.

If +1 doesn't succeed, Bing, Yahoo, Blekko, and anyone else who can establish partnerships with Facebook – the established social medium – will get a leg up on social search, a vital part of how information will be found in the coming years.