Skip to content

idaconcpts.com

Ideas and Concepts from Damian Davila

  • About idaconcpts
  • Advertise at idaconcpts.com
  • idaconcpts on the Internet
  • Follow @idaconcpts on Twitter
  • Privacy Policy
idaconcpts.com

Will Facebook Search Become Google’s Competitor?

Facebook searchSo we spend plenty of time on Facebook nowadays: talking, exchanging photos and just browsing. Is there any way to make use of all this mess? Can social media talking really turn useful?

Here’s a simple example: say, I want to buy a computer and I want Facebook to help.

My first obvious step is to SEARCH. So I use that handy search field right on top of the screen. I go ahead and type my very first search phrase that comes to mind: [dell coupons]. What can I say, I am using Google most of the time and I am that straightforward.

Obviously, this simple approach won’t work with Facebook: the first tab I see there is pretty much useless. It’s the collection of the related (spammy) groups and applications that won’t give an instant answer to my question: how to quickly find a good rebate (besides, most of these are never updated).

Facebook search

I don’t give up. I keep searching. “What do others have to say”, I think. People do talk about buying a computer on Facebook, do they? So I click through “Posts by everyone” with no huge luck again:

Facebook search

I am starting to think my search terms are wrong but there are more tabs out there, so why not keep experimenting: what do my friends have to say?

OK, they don’t talk about that – quite understandably: neither do I!

Buy computer on Facebook

I still have a hope. I ignore “Web Results” – we know that they are powered by Bing and the purpose of the experiment is to play with Facebook.

I don’t have much luck with “Events” tab – not surprisingly: I’d like to see a person who would set up an event for “Dell coupons” (possible but vaguely).

With “Applications” tab it becomes clear that Facebook wants me to change my search terms (some of the suggestions are weird though. I wonder what are they based on?):

Facebook search - Applications

I still don’t give up and click thorough to “Groups” tab: some of the results are almost useful but still require plenty of extra work to find the actual answer:

Facebook search - Groups

As you can imagine, I didn’t have much luck with “Pages” and “People” search either: surprisingly enough, there’s no single “real” person that would be named “Dell Coupons”. But why not add to friends one of these spam profiles? 🙂

Facebook search - people

I can’t see Facebook Answers tab in there but I can clearly see a result from there in Facebook Suggestions:

Fcebook answers search

Clicking that link does give me a few decent resources – but none of them actually lands me on the actual page where I can grab my coupon and go buy something.

…Unlike with good old Google results:

Google search results

So is Facebook search useless? – I am pretty much sure it is not (for some purposes) but for now, for random information search it appears to be pretty much helpless.

Is it going to change? – Social search does have the future. Facebook is predicted to be using its “Like” button to start ranking the web (like Google once did using the link data). I do want to see how these predictions come true.

But for now my experiment failed: no dell coupons on Facebook – even after about 10 minutes of searching and clicking. I know I should have tried other search terms but that would mean even more work…

This is a guest post by Annie Wallace, a viral mom and social media blogger.

Author: Guest Blogger

idaconcpts.com welcome authors and bloggers. If you would like to submit an article please contact Damian at damian@idaconcpts.com. View all posts by Guest Blogger

Author Guest BloggerPosted on November 1, 2010July 8, 2011Categories Web AnalyticsTags Facebook Search, Google, google versus facebook, Google versus Facebook Search, Google vs Facebook Search, Will Facebook Search Become Google's Competitor?

Post navigation

Previous Previous post: In Heated Race For Georgia Governor, Is Blackhat SEO Pushing The Limits?
Next Next post: Score $5 Movie Tickets TODAY ONLY

About idaconcpts

Damian Davila idaconcpts

Ideas and concepts from Damian Davila, Ecuatoriano thriving in Hawaii. Pro marketer and blogger. Find him at @idaconcpts on Twitter. More.

Follow @idaconcpts

Recent Posts

  • Here’s What You Need After You’ve Been Hired
  • Should You Quit Your Job and Become a Teacher?
  • SEO 101: The Ecommerce Sales Funnel
  • How to Get the Computer Skills Your Business Needs
  • When Mobile App Marketers Go Fishing
  • 10 Factors Separating Great Healthcare Organizations from the Pack
  • Get Ahead in Business With an Online MBA
  • 5 Questions to Test Your Security
  • How Startups Ruin Employee Engagement
  • Bioengineering Represents the Future of Science and Tech
advertise here

As Seen On

idaconcpts.com on Bloomberg Businessweek idaconcpts.com on MarketingProfs idaconcpts.com on Latin Business Today Social Media Informer idaconcpts.com on KHON2 News idaconcpts.com on Hawaii Business

Contact Me:

About idaconcpts
idaconcpts on the Internet
Advertise at idaconcpts.com
Twitter: @idaconcpts
  • About idaconcpts
  • Advertise at idaconcpts.com
  • idaconcpts on the Internet
  • Follow @idaconcpts on Twitter
  • Privacy Policy
idaconcpts.com Privacy Policy Proudly powered by WordPress