Google has launched new analytics reports for marketers that will enable them to better assess the value of the social plugins on their site.

Google has launched new analytics reports for marketers that will enable them to better assess the value of the social plugins on their site. The package contains three different metrics: The Social Engagement report, the Social Actions report and the Social Pages report, as well as metrics specific to +1.

The Social Engagement report makes note of how consumers who share content behave on a site as opposed to those who do not. The number of shares – whether visitors are clicking the +1 button, the Tweet button or other social sharing plugins – are recorded in the Social Actions report. Finally, the Social Pages report allows webmasters to compare actions taken on different pages, enabling them to pinpoint which sections aren't getting clicks from social consumers.

Google also launched +1 metrics, which aim to help businesses determine how +1 clicks are affecting their traffic. Marketers can compare click-through rates and impressions for +1'd pages and pages without +1's to see if the social recommendations on SERPs impacts traffic. Google is also offering insight on how many times pages have been +1'd and demographic information of Google users who have clicked the +1 button.

The +1 button is poised to grow more influential in marketers' social media campaigns and social search campaigns, especially given the recent announcement of Google+, the search giant's new social network. As Brafton reported earlier this week, while the new social network is still tested by select users, it may enable Google to unify its various properties and create a more integrated social search experience.

Plus, Google's Matt Cutts has hinted at the idea that +1 could become an SEO ranking signal, meaning searchers might one day see results recommended by friends pushed toward the top of the SERPs.