Google unveiled a new experimental program for voting on search results. You have to opt in to be a part of it but if you do, you’ll see a little sign that says “+1” next to the top line of the result. You click on it if you like it. Then when you go to search for something, you’ll be first served up the things you said you liked. You’ll also be served up the things that people in your social network liked.

What? What social network? Your NEW GOOGLE SOCIAL NETWORK. Kind of the hidden story here.

People in your Gmail & Google Talk chat list

People in your “My Contacts” group in Google Contacts

People you follow in Google Reader or Google Buzz

Of course this is Google’s first real foray into competing with Facebook. Danny Sullivan at Search Engine Land says that the next step, in coming months, is to have +1 show up on web pages alongside Facebook’s Like button.