Beginning this month Google will be adding the +1 button to adverts run through the Google Display Network.

This will allow users to suggest any pay-per-click (PPC) advert to friends logged into Google by clicking on the icon.

Taking social recommendations to the next level, Google has combined the use of PPC and social media interaction.

By clicking on the +1 button, friends of the user will see the advert, together with a profile picture of the original viewer and a message stating that they gave it a +1.

This new use of the icon has the potential increase exchanges between Google network users and click-through rates.

This change will be automatic, with +1 icons added throughout October, however advertisers will be able to stop this change by changing their campaign settings within their AdWords account.

Mark Baker, online marketing manager at theEword, said: ‘Google is trying to bring social media to all aspects of search, so it makes sense for them to push +1s for PPC. Whether or not this initiative takes off remains to be seen, but the key things for PPC advertisers to watch out for are how many people use +1s and under what circumstances.’

The Google +1 button was launched in June after a successful trial at the beginning of the year. The +1 function is highly important to Google when deciding the significance of a web page in natural search results.