Facebook introduced Graph Search in January 2013. Since the announcement, Facebook users have been able to register their interest to test the beta version. Some have been able to test it out already while others are still waiting.
Basically, Graph Search is a Search Engine, or social search, for Facebook, allowing users to search content on Facebook and the results given will be specific to each user and their social network/connections. With it, you will be able to find out what your friends are doing, what they like, what common interests friends have and much more.
Businesses will also be able to use Graph Search to get a better understanding of their likers. What do their followers like, or dislike? And how many of them like something specific?
With Graph Search also comes many more possibilities for your business to be found by Facebook users searching for a business such as yours, so you need to ensure you have your Page optimised correctly to gain the maximum benefits. Every Facebook page that is public (a page that has no country or age restrictions) is available by default to show in Graph Search results.
This new tool has incredible potential to expose your business to many new customers and clients via their friends and friends of friends who are already connected to your business.
When delivering results to the user searching with Graph Search, Facebook will take into consideration the keywords used and the users connections. The search results will be limited to Facebook content within the users connections on Facebook. Because social proof is important, Facebook with show results to the searcher based on the people within their network (for example, friends and friends of friends).
Word of mouth is a huge source of valuable referrals to small businesses and Facebook’s Graph Search is making this more available to every business utilising their facebook marketing effectively. So how do businesses take advantage of this opportunity?
1. Update Your Facebook Page Category
Your page category will hold a significant amount of weight in search results. Ensure your page is in the most relevant category and if you have your page set up as a Place, ensure you have also selected sub-categories. You can select up to 3 sub-categories.
2. Set Your Location
Ensure your address for your business is up to date in the basic information section. Graph Search will look at the location of your business in relation to the user buy ambien online india searching. Check-in’s will also help to boost your ranking and visibility so encourage customers to check-in to your business on Facebook.
3. Use Keywords in the About Section
When completing the About Section for your Facebook Page use keywords that your potential customers would use. Ensure the content reads well while trying to use as many keywords as possible. Also, try to have your main keywords at the beginning of each section. So rather then starting a sentence with your business name, start with your keywords, but always keep in mind that potential customers will be reading it so ensure that it makes sense and is enticing.
4. Use Keywords in your Posts & Tag
Graph Search is also going to be looking at tags. Tag the images your posting with your Page Name and use your keywords in the description that accompanies the image. You can also tag video’s that are uploaded to Facebook. If you are a local business, adding a location to your images will also be highly effective.
5. Quality and Relevant Content
Make your posts informative and relevant to your business, and your customers needs, and post on a regular basis. You need to have a content plan for your Facebook posts that will produce content that is using your keywords while also attracting likes, comments and interaction.
6. Quality Likers
To give your page top priority in the search results, Facebook will be looking for pages that have a large following, and also an engaged following. You want to have people liking your page that are interested in your content and who are going to interact on your page on a regular basis. Each new liker will connect you to, on average, 130 of their friends so it is continually expanding your network (and potential customers).
Every Facebook Page post, photo or web page that a Facebook user has liked is part of the searchable data so those likes have now become even more important.
7. Bing Optimisation
Bing web search results have been a part of Facebook search for a while now and will become more relevant in the future so it is important to ensure your website is optimised for Bing search results. This is giving your business another opportunity to be found by potential customers by using Bing search within Facebook.
Facebook is rolling out the use of Graph Search gradually. Join the waiting list here.
[…] How this affects your marketing: It’s easier to find your business and you should in theory enjoy more visibility. You can take steps to optimize your page for search, as my friend Jayne from Webonize shares here. […]