We all know Facebook to be one of the most well known social media platforms, but did you know that Facebook is also a search engine? It all began in 2013 where Facebook launched “Graph Search” which allowed users to search for people, categories, and tags. In 2014, they expanded upon the rough search algorithm they had and included keywords and in 2015, they finally opened up the floodgates so that users could search for basically anything.
Facebook vs. Google
If you’ve ever done a search on Google for a service or product, let’s say ordering pizza, then you’ve probably seen Google’s “local 3-pack” which provides you with three recommendations of businesses that fit what you are looking for. Facebook incorporated a similar algorithm that provides you with recommendations based off of what you search. With over 1.5 billion searches and over 600 million users visiting business pages every day, there’s no denying the impact that Facebook has had on businesses and the impact it can potentially have on you.
Optimizing Your Facebook Profile and Pages
It’s no secret that more and more companies are beginning to use Facebook to their advantage and its time for you to do the same! There are three distinct things that we know for sure:
- Facebook has a very large audience that uses its search engine
- Local business can be discovered using the search engine
- There is a ranking system put in place for local business searches
Heres where things get tricky: Unlike Google, Facebook is much more secretive when it comes to revealing information about what goes into their search algorithm. One insight we do have is that Facebook takes into account posts and pages based on user engagement. It likes when people are reacting/seeing your pages and liking or reposting them for others to see. From there, things get a bit murkier but it’s always good to have all your information on your Facebook page just like you would with your website. Here are some things to include on your Facebook page:
- Posts about your business. Let your followers know about your services, sales/discounts, new products, days you are closed, etc.
- Company info and description of your business
- Phone Number/ Email/ Link to your website
- Address
- Services provided
- Hours of operation
- Price Range
Boston Web Marketing
Boston Web Marketing specializes in running local SEO for companies in the New England Area and has just begun to scratch the surface on optimizing Facebook and will continue to as more information comes out. For all your SEO and website needs, contact us at (857) 526-0096 or fill out a contact form.