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Google Makes Facebook Pages a Higher Priority for Businesses

Google Gets Biggest Missing Piece in Real-Time Search Puzzle

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By · March 1, 2010 · 74 Comments

Google announced via Twitter this week, that public status updates from Facebook are now included in the search engine’s real-time search feature. That means the largest social network in the world is getting play in Google’s real-time search alongside Twitter, MySpace, and others, and these real-time results are often featured prominently on the first page of search results for the hottest queries.

Apparently only updates from Facebook PAGES are indexed, and according to Danny Sullivan, that includes links, status updates, photos, videos shared by page owners (not comments made by the fans).  Any Facebook update (from regular user profiles) can be shared publicly, so I wonder why these aren’t being pulled. Results from Twitter and other places aren’t only from branded sources.

>>Become a fan of WebProNews on Facebook <<

This seems to indicate that brands should be getting a good amount of play for Facebook appearances in Google’s real-time search results, and possibly in the real-time search results in general (due to Facebook’s huge user-base). Right now, Facebook isn’t dominating the results, but that is bound to change with it being the largest (by far) social network on the web.

Google Announces that Facebook status updates are now included in Google's real-time search results

A lot of brands who don’t have Facebook pages in place are likely going to consider this a new reason to create one. Here are some tips for making a good one and promoting it.

This should also lead to Facebook Pages getting more fans, due to the increased exposure. Beware, however, that running a promotion on your Facebook Page may cost you ten thousand dollars, because Facebook’s policy guidelines indicate that you must get written approval from a Facebook account rep. In order to get one of those, you must spend that much in advertising, according to Eric Eldon of Inside Facebook.

Now Google’s real-time search results include (as listed by Sullivan) Facebook, MySpace, Twiter, Google Buzz, FriendFeed, Jaiku, Identi.ca, TwitArmy, Google News links, penis enlargement, Google Blog Search links, new web pages, and freshly updated pages. At this point, Google generally only shows the real-time results for newsy/trending topics. 

Note: At the Online Marketing Summit out in San Diego, WebProNews talked about a different kind of real-time search that involves local businesses, with RateItAll president Lawrence Coburn. It’s not local search as you would traditionally think of it, but it involves location, which one might consider a new kind of query.

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There are 74 Comments. Add Yours.

  2. Thank you for you posting.
    It was only a matter of time and it shows the importance of making sure some businesses have a social media campaign. There are some people who believe what they place on out there cannot be found, so keeping your facebook account clean, clear and concise is important.

    Thanks again.

  3. Gotta start putting more things into my facebook page

  4. What ever the hot web application is, Google wants a piece of it. The overall success of Twitter prompted Google to roll out its own. Lets see what other web APP idea Google will devour!

  5. The way Google is going the company will have its hands in every technology and web app on the net. Once the technology or web app has money making potential or is already making money. Therefore, Google’s business module is to out perform the competition, join it, or buy it out!

  6. Recently i saw so many fan page of facebook going no.1 on google serps, i don’t have a facebook acc last time, so now i have to make a new one

    thanks

  7. spk
    Reply

    So my automatic RSS feeds on facebook will finally count, And when i put links on my friends’ walls. that’s good news.

  8. Was wondering about personal pages as opposed to business pages. I’m a little confused as to why google wouldn’t include status updates from personal pages, I would have thought links provided by the public would be far more relevant to real time search than links from business, but no complaints here!
    Thanks for the article!

  9. I have never given Facebook any attention or any social medias. Time will tell what this gives us in return.

  10. Guest
    Reply

    These social sites just bring up a lot of useless links when one is trying to do serious searches or research on google. Really hate it and find it annoying, and have to wade through a lot of junk to find really good and accurate information on a subject.

  11. As much as I prefer a phone call to/from a friend vs email/facebook/myspace/twitter/ning/groups/boards and all of the rest, I guess — from a business standpoint — I’d better freshen up that Facebook page I started a few years ago and never went back to! lol :D

    Thank you for posting this Chris, it was the swift kick in the tush I needed! lol :D
    (I always enjoy and appreciate your articles!)

    Have a great day all! :D

  12. Great. i hate facebook with a vengance. You have just made my day. Not!!!!!!

  14. Google is finally noticing Facebook’s place and the role of social marketing. How long before their own social network gobbles it up !

  15. Facebook was getting 1 update to 10 tweets ratio from us. Any major event, like new content/articles would get plastered on Twitter, but for the “Announcement” to Googlebot. Then hand share on Facebook. It’s so easy to get twitter accounts and tools to post from, facebook takes a little effort to make friends, influential friends even harder. As yet, there’s only been a Digg in the type of search results I deal with, VERY SPECIFIC.

    If the description, “At this point, Google generally only shows the real-time results for newsy/trending topics.” is accurate, then a obscure niche could benefit from time to time as well as news and directory sites. On and Off. If trending topics included a famous actor goiong to a particular jail AND caused an increase in the search “particular county jail” then I might be in the results.

    IF I remember to through a news mention in, IF I’m a attenetive webmaster… If If If until it can be experimented with. Guess I know what I’m doing this week, reading the news.

  16. So, forgive me but I would love some help with this one…. I have been optimising my sites for some time – so would describe myself as an intermediate – by no means a newbie however nowhere near a pro yet I don’t understand how facebook can help me with backlinks and ultimately optimising my site. Have I got to spend

  18. Hi,

    buyprintedgifts.com went live on facebook last month and the account will integrated with our website using facebook connect so that users with facebook can navigate buyprintedgifts.com without logging again.

  19. Interesting read, although I question the value of fan pages as a method to increase a customer base. I guess the reason for a fan page really is to increase customer engagement and sentiment.

  20. Great tip for people that don’t know how to use FaceBook for maximizing their profits for their Internet businesses. This is one of the lessons we teach in our online Internet classes.

    Real-time search is what matters when it comes to marketing.

    Best regards

    Frank A Trueblood

  21. Hi great point.. i am looking to rank better and do not have any social sites, can you promote on facebook for free as a regular user on your home page ? and get search results on google ?

  22. I have managed to gain almost 1.4k facebook fans now. I hope my search ranking improves more.

  23. Personally I though Facebook was not as popular as last year and surprised at google doing this, as social nedia changes so much so quick. Who would have thought that twiiter would rule the waves, so quickly. I am waiting for the next social website to arrive.

    • Guest
      Reply

      What every social website asks you to do “EXPRESS YOURSELF”!

      ExpressYourSelf.TV text and video……I just need some funding….. an instantaneous branding.

  24. Of all the social media sites I really hate Facebook, it was only a matter of time before Google got in on the action.

  25. With people spending more time on the average on Facebook, it will be worth any businesses time and effort to take advantage of this type of marketing. Thanks for the heads up.

  26. As Facebook is the #2 website behind Google, it was bound to happen sooner or later. Now it’s time to be promoting on Facebook!

  27. Don’t know how I feel bout this, same with twitter in search. Twitter search results bump websites with huge content adn history.

    Dont see how a tweet is more important then a well established website.

  28. I have put off getting on to Facebook but having read your article I realise the time has come to take my head from the sand. Can anyone point me in the right direction as to where I can find tips on getting it right.

  29. I read your comments re the cost, what does this mean? I know that business’s have fan pages, does this mean you can’t tell your fans anything without breaching tis rule? Has any business experienced Facebook closing them down or asking for cash….Is this worth more comment and debate?

  30. Interesting…another piece of the real time puzzle falls into place. As geo-search continues to evolve I suspect the whole search experience and websites in general are in for a large shift.

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