Facebook is preparing to introduce its newest feature, the Graph Search. The social network already has several great tools available to help you analyze content, build apps and get closer to your target audience. The Graph Search is another offering that has the potential to improve your social media marketing strategy.
This tool will have the ability to scan through user posts, photos, videos, pages and check-ins in order to make connections between different users throughout the network.
Here are some of the good (and the bad) points of the new Graph Search on Facebook:
The Good
New Fan Research
You will be able to gather new information about your fans with Graph Search, including favorite athletes, music, books, movies and more. You can use filters to segment your fans based on interests. (This will only work for profiles that are public.)
New Competitor Research
You can also use the tool to find out more about your competition, if they have Facebook pages. It is always good to be able to see what others in your industry are doing, how they are interacting with fans, and what new products they are introducing.
More Emphasis on Location
Businesses that rely on location, like restaurants, hotels, movie theaters and retailers, can really benefit from the Graph Search feature. Each check-in by users will determine search result rank. This will help users find your business when they use the “Nearby” feature.
Opportunity for Advertising
Graph Search will allow businesses to pay for sponsored results, much like Google or Bing advertising. Facebook may also be planning to offer some new types of advertising units for businesses to take advantage of in the next few months.
The Bad
Search Rankings
Results on the Graph Search will be based on App or Page activity, factoring in these metrics:
* Number of check-ins
* Fan activity
* Size of fan base
* User location
* User relevancy
* Relevancy to user’ friends
The algorithm used will be a lot like EdgeRank, which determines where a post appears in a News Feed. That means you will have to keep up a high level of engagement with fans and maintain a broad fan base.
Accuracy of Information
It is important to make sure that your brand’s “About” information is correct. The “About” info will appear in the results. If it doesn’t contain the right data, then your page won’t show up in the right search results.
Before Facebook completely rolls out the new Graph Search feature, it will be a good idea to go through and freshen up your page to make sure that it is ready when the time comes.
That includes:
Updating Your Brand’s About Page
This is an important source of information, so make sure it is up-to-date and accurate. Is the address, phone number, and store hours correct?
Having a Great Profile Picture
This is the image that will show up in search results, so make sure that it is a good one. Have it at a 620×620-pixel resolution with your brand name or logo. You want it to be something uniquely yours and easy to recognize.
Adding More Photos
Include shots of your products, shops, employees. Anything that users can see as a direct link to your brand. These will show up in search results so you want them to represent your brand’s essence. Add and remove tags as needed.
Building Up Your Fan Base
Don’t stop working to increase the number of fans you have for your Facebook page. The more you have, the higher your page will rank in search results.
Getting More Check-Ins
Encourage your customers to check-in when they come into your location. You can ask them directly, add it to your receipts, or put it on the door so they can see it as they walk in. More check-ins will also help to increase your ranking.
Do you think Graph Search will be better for businesses? What new features would you like to see in the future?
