Anderson Cooper is plugging Google+. Does this mean that there’s a “big three” now? Will Google+ join Twitter and Facebook as social entities that companies feel compelled to plug?

If you watch enough TV, you’ve probably heard this on cable news shows, advertisements, etc.:

“Follows us on Twitter and like us on Facebook.”

It’s a common request to close on, and a way for shows and brands to promote more interaction with fans and customers. In my experience, it was “like us on Facebook” first, and then Twitter became a powerful enough social network to be included. Now it looks like (at least some) organizations are looking at Google+ in the same way they look at Facebook and Twitter.

Google engineer Joseph Smarr caught the Silver Fox’s plug and took a picture. He said, “Oh snap, +Anderson Cooper 360 just said “add us to your circles” live on CNN (first time I’ve heard it). Achievement unlocked.”

Since then, it has become a much-shared post across the platform – especially by Googlers. Some users have commented that Anderson Cooper has been good about promoting Google+, making sure to do it on every episode of AC 360 – but it’s definitely not a universal practice. Plenty of cable news shows end with the “follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook” spiel, but personally I haven’t seen many others plugging Google+.

Google+ is growing, there’s no denying that. The latest reports tout 90+ million users for the new social outlet. The White House just joined Google+ and on January 30th, President Obama will host his first-ever Hangout.

Since Google is adamant that Google+ is Google, little things like this Anderson Cooper shoutout really matter. In the future, will we see a little G+ logo next to the iconic Twitter and Facebook logos everywhere?

Have you seen any Google+ plugging on any other shows or ads? Let us know in the comments.