Google for Work to Recommend Cloud Apps

Google for Work will start recommending third-party applications to help customers select secure and high-quality cloud apps for their organizations. 

With the proliferation of cloud apps, it can be difficult for a business to assess which apps are best suited to their needs. Google will work with an independent third-party security firm to review applications and make sure they “are safe and reliable, and meet [its] requirements for high-quality integrations,” Rahul Sood, managing director, Google Apps for Work said in a blog post.

Security will play a huge part in Google’s quest to attract more enterprise users. Recently, Google brought new security features to Google Drive for its business customers.

The initial set of recommended applications include ProsperWorks for CRM, Smartsheet for project management, Ringcentral and Switch for cloud-based communications, AODocs and Powertools for document management and Ping Identity and Okta for identity and access management.

Google said it will continue to add to the list as it reviews more apps. It has not elaborated on the criteria it will use to determine whether apps are recommended.

While app marketplaces present businesses with a lot of options, it is a challenge for apps to stand out. By gaining the Google stamp of approval, selected apps should see a boost in adoption, particularly as Google Apps for Work has surpassed 2 million users.

Google also recently updated its Google Apps Marketplace in order to make it easier for employees to find apps and added new notifications so employees know when they have access to apps that just became available.