If Google+ sharing features are an indication of how we actually share and socialize, it points to a trend away from mass messaging across a network.

And because Google+ encourages users to built out large networks while also managing your close circle of real friends, the power of these connections will become increasingly important to marketers. That means that having 600 friends or followers won't mean too much anymore. What will be important -- for marketers at least -- are those contacts who you include in your close circle of friends, who regularly share with you, and who expect you to share with them.

When relationships are no longer defined as simply "friends" or "follows," companies trying to promote themselves will have to adapt.

First, because the barrier to going viral on a platform like Google + is higher, content will have to be more "sticky." No longer will one post assure that all followers see any given piece of content. Second, companies will have to work even harder to build and maintain relationships with their customers. A given company could, for example, maintain a close network of loyalists by offering them deals and freebies, while also reaching out to the broader network to attract new customers and address company issues.

Overall, companies will need to begin considering the power and intimacy of a given relationship, not just its size. The Google+ introduction of sharing boundaries is a desirable addition for users, but a potentially huge obstacle for companies. As the first wave of social media forced businesses to become transparent and compelling online, this next wave of relationship relevancy will again push them to take their customers and their relationships more seriously.