Originally Written: 1/17/13

Title:  Facebook vs. Google: It's On in Search

Source:  CNNMoney http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2013/01/15/facebook-vs-google-its-on-in-search/?section=magazines_fortune&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fmagazines_fortune+%28Fortune+Magazine%29

Summary:  Facebook introduces the new Graph Search on Tuesday, January 15, 2013 in an attempt to capitalize on Google’s dominance in search.  Beta testing is limited to select Facebook users for now.     

Analysis:  It wasn’t a new “Facebook” phone or competing IOS system that got the attention of Facebooker’s on Tuesday, but the announcement of Facebook’s new Graph Search that has people talking.  In an effort to chip away Google’s share of web based searches Facebook has created their own search feature for people to find and discover things within their own social network. 

As bloggers around the world watched from Facebook’s Headquarters, Marc Zuckerberg announced Facebook’s attempt at keeping some search items within the Facebook social domain.  Until now, users were limited to searching for people or business pages via the most popular social network.  However, Tuesday’s unveil highlighted to users that in addition to people, photos, interests, and places could now be searched via each user’s friends and friends of friends. 

If users adapt and is proven successful, this could lead to potential new revenue streams for the newly public company.  As Marc quoted, “This could potentially be a business over time.”  For now the Graph Search feature does not incorporate any ads in the user experience.  However, only time will tell if the new feature will be proven financially receptive. 

For now, users can request to be put on the beta waiting list to try the feature out.  Only time will tell how the 1+ billion users feel about the new feature. 

This will greatly impact user’s ability to determine where and what they would like to search for.  Instead of a typical Google web search, users can determine what their friends are interested in, where they recommend, and connect or reconnect in a unique manner.  Facebook is capitalizing on the data they have from their user base to continue to embrace word of mouth recommendations. 

At the time of the announcement, Facebook’s stock price increased minimally.