3 min.
Facebook Graph Search: The Future of Internet Search?
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Facebook Graph Search: The Future of Internet Search?

  • TECHNICAL LEVEL
Social Media

The Facebook Graph Search will take Facebook to another level in terms of research. Come read why!

Facebook announced on Tuesday its latest innovation that could well revolutionize the way we search on the Internet: the Facebook Graph Search . 

This tool would make it possible to do research on themes related to the interests and activities of our friends .

Here are some examples of what you can now search for:

  • The photos you like;
  • The music your friends like;
  • Cities your family has visited;
  • People who love cycling;
  • Photos before 1990;

etc

Facebook hasn't yet released information about all possible queries, but it's clear there will be more. Also, if Facebook can't find anything in your friends' profiles, it will show you results from Bing.  

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOU

Peer recommendations have finally been improved . You will be able to search your friends' habits in Facebook Graph Search. One can also think of all the applications which use Open Graph and which will certainly be able to benefit from this new search engine . However, Facebook has not yet announced that will be integrated into the search engine anytime soon, but that will probably come in time This is a step in the right direction by Facebook. 

Imagine searching in the search engine:

  • Clothes my friends love on Simons
  • Restaurants my friends visited in Montreal
  • Articles recommended by my friends on La Presse

PRIVACY AND GRAPH SEARCH

It's time to look at your privacy settings to make sure you're only disclosing the information you want, to the people you want. Facebook says it doesn't expose you more publicly. The tool will simply display in a more efficient way what was currently on Facebook.  

HOW TO BENEFIT FROM IT AS A COMPANY?

Facebook has already started informing companies about what they will need to do to improve their positioning in the tool. Here are Facebook's tips  : 

  • The name, category, URL and information in the "About" section will help users find you; optimize them ! 
  • If you have a local page on Facebook, make sure the address is correct . 
  • Make sure you have the right kind of fans  on your page and create real interactions.

Keep in mind that good community management is still important  and that you must continue to attract new users to your page.

THE NEXT GOOGLE?

If Facebook decides to add advertising to this search engine, it could then introduce itself into the search intentions of users and thus be able to publish advertising according to the keywords searched. This could be seen as a great opportunity for companies to target a consumer-ready audience, much like Google.  

If we look at the long term, we could perhaps see a decline in the use of Google in favor of Facebook Graph Search . User behavior is set to change. 

This remains a good move from Facebook against the Californian giant.

Thomas.