However, Facebook is proving to be quite problematic for Google. Not only is Facebook Google’s second largest competitor (following Bing) and is invested in by Microsoft, but Facebook’s content is unable to be indexed by Google (since Facebook uses peer recommendations as its main source of indexing information and not a scanning algorithm). Facebook also encourages its members to use Microsoft's search engine, Bing.Unlike Google, Facebook is determined to keep online interactions relevant and personal—for example, with partner sites like Digg, users are able to see their friends’ news recommendations. Ads on Facebook are highly targeted as advertisers are able to target based on contextual, demographic, behavioral, and geographic information to increase relevancy and consequently demand. Users are able to give feedback with either a “thumbs up” or “thumbs down” to the ads so that they see, creating an even more targeted group of users viewing ads. However, with the availability of users’ personal information, advertisers walk a fine line between supplying ads that are targeted and relevant versus creepy and stalker-ish.
Brands have also capitalized on the connecting to users via Facebook. By creating “Fan Pages,” companies are able to supply “fans” with special/loyalty offers, contests, events, etc. to further reinforce the relationship that those connected users have with a product/company/brand as well as drive traffic to the brand’s website.
The more I learn about the way Facebook is reinventing the internet, the more impressed I become. While I’m still Google loyal for my search engine needs, I can’t help to notice the inventive and creative way that Facebook is connecting people to one another, brands, products, ideas, events, information, and causes in a personal way. Maybe Google has something to learn yet?
References:
http://www.wired.com/techbiz/it/magazine/17-07/ff_facebookwall
http://www.facebook.com/advertising/?src=pf
