Facebook recently unveiled its new Graph Search, an internal search engine that helps users find relevant information based on likes, mobile check-ins and other interactions that people make inside of Facebook.

The new search tool is slowly being rolled out to Facebook users. To join the waiting list, sign up here – https://www.facebook.com/about/graphsearch.

In this posting, you’ll discover how graph search works as well as why it’s important for your business.

How Graph Search Works

Graph Search allows people to search for social information within Facebook. People might use it to:

• Discover nearby restaurants and businesses that friends like and visit
• Read reviews of local nearby businesses
• Find particular photos of friends
• Look for all of their friends in a particular city because they’re visiting

As an example, if you’re looking for a place to eat, you might type “restaurants near me” into Graph Search.

You’d get results that show you the top nearby restaurants that your friends have visited and liked. You’d also find reviews, maps and other helpful information to make an informative decision.

Facebook Graph Search also allows you to refine your search results by gender, age, relationship, locations and even interests. This allows you to see what particular groups of people within your social network like.

How Graph Search Is Different from Traditional Search Engines

Traditional search engines help you sift through websites to find information related to your search query. Graph Search helps you search Facebook for answers to your personal questions.

It’s meant to solve those social types of questions that you wouldn’t typically think to ask a search engine such as:

• What types of stores do my friends shop at?
• What types of restaurants do my friends like around me?
• What doctors and dentists would my friends recommend?

Facebook is making it easier for you to get thoughts and opinions about local businesses whether it is from your friends or other users on Facebook.

Why Graph Search Is Important for Your Business

So now that you know a little bit about Graph Search, here’s why it’s very, very important.

Bottom line: Graph Search can help you possibly get boatloads of new customers via Facebook!

Here’s how…

Graph Search can help customers make purchasing decisions based on what their actual friends have said and done on Facebook. It also allows people to see what others outside of their circle of friends on Facebook have said about a business.

According to a recent retail survey, 69 percent of customers say that family and friends are the No. 1 influencers on purchasing decisions. Facebook Graph Search is making it easier than ever for customers to find out what businesses their family and friends like and recommend.

Every Facebook like, mobile check-in and review your business gets is even more valuable now because it increases your chances of appearing at the top of Graph Search for various questions relating to your business.

This new feature is going to give local review websites like Yelp a run for their money because of Facebook’s ginormous user base. Online reviews will no longer be limited to those select few who decide to go through the time consuming process of creating a Yelp or some other online review account. It’s going to be easier than ever for people to voice and share their opinion about your business

How to Prepare for Graph Search

Now is the time to prepare your businesses for Facebook Graph Search. You’ll want to make sure your company’s Facebook page is:

• Sign up for Graph Search at https://www.facebook.com/about/graphsearch
• Up to date with the correct business information
• Working to get more likes, mobile check-ins and reviews
• Regularly posting fresh content such as status updates, pictures, videos, polls, etc.

Doing these types of best practices will help catapult your business over the competition in Graph Search.

Stay tuned to this blog for more helpful tips about Graph Search. As we learn more about this new feature, we’ll give you the most important best practices.

At Right On – No Bull Marketing, we’ve help many businesses with their Facebook marketing in Phoenix as well as across the country. For questions or help, contact us any time at 602-412-3168.