There is no getting around it – Google sucks when it comes to the Social Web, or in marketing speak – Social Media.

Unlike the other leaders in the field Google’s efforts have either been complete flops or just disparate efforts scattered around the Web. Even in those efforts that have gained a modicum of success, if it can even be called that, there is always a feeling of blandness, of always just missing the target.

In a way, this is understandable. One has to remember that Google was built around the whole concept of the power of the algorithm and built by engineers and developers with an extreme eye to minimalism in everything it did. There is nothing wrong with this approach if all you are going to be is a search engine and ad platform but being social needs more than being able to calculate page load times down to the millisecond, or debating which shade of blue right down the the hex number is better.

Everything Google does is bland, faceless and yes – boring. This is the perfect approach of course for the true geeks and early adopters but the exact opposite of what the masses who are becoming involved in Social Media want, or are expecting.

I think though that Google is beginning to realize this, as we have begun to see them experimenting with their search result page with the addition of things like icons in the sidebar area, adding images within certain kinds of search results. This may not seem like much to most people, but given Google’s history even simple things like adding icons is a major shift.

The biggest problem with Google is that it is looking old and tired. There is nothing to attract a whole segment of the web by making itself stand out. As factious as it may sound people are attracted to what is new and cool which Google definitely doesn’t. Google has become that good old sturdy friend that we know we can always rely on – boring but reliable.

Really when you look at Google you know it has all the pieces to be a social media powerhouse. It is full of incredibly talented people who get what social media, the Social Web, is all about but are constantly finding themselves being constrained by a management who still thinks everything can be solved by mathematics and the proper engineering.

The pieces are there, folks. The ability and talent is probably just dying to show the world how a real social media service that places the user ahead of everything else can be created. Maybe the hiring of a new director (or whatever they end up calling it) of their social media initiative will be able to bring the company around. I’m not so sure, though, because I think the reluctance to change is more deeply rooted than simple hiring can fix.

I would like to believe that Google can pull this off, hell I sincerely hope they do because I would really hate to see a Web where Facebook is the ruling social media service. I just don’t know if they will be able to but I hope I am so wrong on this.

Come on Google you can do it. Let out your inner Sophia Loren and ditch the Ugly Betty routine