Facebook Enters Search With Facebook Graph Search
Mark Zuckerberg, Cheif Executive of Facebook, has announced the launch of Facebook Graph Search at it’s headquarters in Menlo Park, California. Facebook Graph Search is Facebook’s new search engine. Unlike other search engines like Google and Bing, who show results from across the internet, Facebook’s search engine will only reveal relevant results from within Facebook itself. Zuckerberg described it as the site’s “third pillar”, after Timeline and News Feed.
He then went on to say, “”Graph Search is a completely new way for people to get information on Facebook.” At the beginning, it will let users search four categories – people, places, photos, interests, pages for businesses – and over time will expand to cover all content.
This could change the internet landscape forever!
At present, it is only in Beta test form, but you can sign up for it here.
The New Local Search For Businesses
Do you trust you your friends?
If you needed a plumber, and a friend in your Facebook network recommended a local plumber, would you not trust their recommendation and call that plumber?
About 2% of consumers use Facebook to look for local businesses, while about 50 – 60 % of businesses invest both money and time in Facebook advertising.
How many of you would like the best form of advising, and free advising at that – word-of-mouth advising! Facebook Graph Search can will become really powerful is that it will become the digital version of word-of-mouth.
As a business owner, can you not see the potential of this? Facebook Graph Search has the possibility to become a great marketing tool for local businesses.
Local business take heed: if you haven’t got a Facebook business page, you NEED to get one NOW! Start building your own personal network with local people and encourage people to “Like” your business page as this will give it more exposure in the Graph Search algorithm.
One thing you must do is create useful content that is relevant to you audience and worth sharing and make Facebook a primary distribution channel.
Lars Rasmussen, Facebook Engineering Director and former Google executive, gave an example of needing a dentist as he had tooth ache and being new to the area, he didn’t have a dentist. So he just did a search of dentists’ that his friends liked and found one that was recommended.
The final word goes to Mark Zuckerberg, “We just view this (Graph Search) as a project that we will be working on for years and years to come.”
,h3>So, local business owners, are you ready for Facebook Graph Search?
If you need help creating a Facebook Business Page contact us on 01689 602 248 or email us.
