How Facebook Graph Search Affects Google

The new Facebook Graph Search has benefits for individual users of Facebook as well as businesses.

[dropcap2]U[/dropcap2]nfortunately, Internet marketers and individuals trying to increase web traffic have not realized a change in Google algorithms and search functions. Google so far has downplayed the effect Graph Search has had on Google search results, which has made people nervous. It’s important to understand a little more about how Facebook Graph works and how it could possibly affect Google.

What Does Graph Search Do?

First, let’s become familiar with what Graph Search on Facebook is and why it was implemented. The main benefit of this new search is for individual users of Facebook, not business owners. It lets users search through the main Facebook database to find things, places, pages and people they have in common with both their friends and their friends of friends. It’s essentially a way to connect and network more easily.

Why Friends are Important

The first thing to note about Facebook Graph Search is that friends are extremely important. The main results that are going to show up when users access the search function are those either liked by their friends or liked by their friends of friends. So, if someone is looking for alcohol rehab centers, and none of their connections or friends of friends follow a related page, nothing is going to come up in their network.

As a business, you rely on acquaintances or friends of your target market to be following your business page. As far as Google goes, Graph Search isn’t pulling results from Google search engines, but in the Facebook network of people only.

Microsoft Bing Makes an Appearance

Another major change is that the Graph Search is integrated with Microsoft Bing. Bing is the second largest search engine, outmatched only by Google. The only search engine that Graph Search is connected with is Bing. As a result, people, businesses and website owners who use Google are going to miss out and Graph Search isn’t going to benefit them much. However, this is good news for advertisers who wish to start using Bing more than Google.

Graph Search is Winning

Another way Facebook Graph Search is affecting Google is that Facebook Graph Search is succeeding where Google has been trying to. Google has been making algorithm changes because they want to streamline searches. Their intent is to make it easier for people to find what they’re looking for. Graph Search is already doing this and Google search will suffer when Facebook users start realizing the many benefits of using it. Site owners should start learning how to benefit from Graph Search.

The effects of Facebook Graph Search still need to be assessed over the long term, but Google’s dominance may be damaged.