Facebook is building a search engine to take on Google

It would be great to have another big player in this field. But I'm not sure how FB team want to accomplish this task?

If they want to create SE under FB logo, something like next "department" of FB, then in my opinion they will simply fail.

If however, they want to create separate brand for this SE and use FB only as a source of information (some kind of data base or something) then they could have some chances.

But still, they will have major problem with monetization. Social network traffic CR is poor when compared with SEs traffic CR.

More info about this on blog of Bob Serling...

http://www.profitalchemy.com/blog/

To cool I would love to see that come to light. Google needs some real competition. If anyone could give them a run for their money it would be Facebook.

On a side note Facebook does not have anywhere near the experience in search as in zero.

Plus Google has some of the brightest minds in the
World working for them.

None the less I think it would be some cool competition down the line.

I would imagine the search engine will be inside of Facebook where the current search box is. I have always known Facebook would do this it was just a matter of time.

I believe Facebook want to have it so that when people log on to the Internet, they basically log onto Facebook and do everything from within that one site. That's what I think they are aiming for and by having a better search engine built within the Facebook dashboard, it means you no longer need to leave the site to search things via Google.

It also means Facebook gathers another huge amount of information as to what you are searching for and what sites you visit.

Facebook is probably planning on it. Who wouldn't want to be the next Google? But I don't see that happening in the near future. And I guess Google will do everything to stop that from happening.

Thanks for this great information. The thought of dealing with either of these goliaths isn't likely to be fun for marketers.

I think would be great if facebook could come out with this.The competition will give us better options.

perhaps,facebook could come out with different brand names for SE.

We shall soon find out.

Personally, I like the idea. Let's see what would be the future of SEO.

I believe Mark is always thinking outside the box, obviously.

If Yahoo and Microsoft failed, why do you think that Facebook will succeed?

FB will be a failure in the next 5 years so shy build another failure?

Do you think it will be using the Bing Search Engine?

I might take few years of testing and failure for Facebook but I think they will succeed.
The fact is that those very big online companies can spend Million dollars in failing something just to learn from it.
example: when Google create Google buzz, it didn't really work. But, with google + they change a lot of things for us Marketers and it seems to work quit well.
They only advantage for Facebook it that they know that they would have to change a lot of things to make it work. They must study there competition and copy Google.

We might assist in a big change in the Facebook way to market for entrepreneurs like us.

I like the idea to have main competitor to google.

Im just waiting for that great war...

I think they already are search engine (you enter a search query and they show you results via Bing)

The point is how they are going to integrate it to the "Existing Facebook" and I'm not going to predict much on its future considering the failures of Yahoo and Bing.

It isn't easy to beat Google; they have been in the business for almost 15 years now. Facebook has yet to deal with its "Loud-Mouth-Nature"

I am really looking forward to increased competition in this market - Google has just become LAZY

i think it is fantastic news and i have no doubt it will start to challenge Google, Facebook has too many daily users not to be a serious contender to Google. I also read that it will be 2012/13 for the launch as they have been testing for some time. Great news for all i say

Interesting.

Sounds more like they're going to be implementing some sort of Yahoo answers type of system into facebook to me.

It would be risky to try and compete with google head on.

This will totally create a deep rift between FACEBOOK and GOOGLE..

I'd seriously doubt that Google should be significantly concerned. However, if Facebook will make the search really good, it might take Google some customers, because people are spending so much time on Facebook and the 'Facebook Search' would mean that they will not be required to leave the page to search something. It will be far more comfortable for them.

I think it's a good move by Facebook.

The revenue they are already driving comes from their interruption marketing model so search will only drive higher quality traffic meaning more revenue for Facebook.

Good on them, I would love to see more search engines be players in the search industry. It would be nice to go back to the old days when the web was open and not governed, ruled and owned by one greedy company like in the late 90's.

Its confirmed now that facebook is launching its own search engine soon and I am sure that this time the competition among the search engines will be greater than great...Will Facebook search engine take over Google and other search engines ? I am also sure of it that the future SEO is going to change soon ...

Yawn. Why does everyone keep trying to put their chocolate in everyone else's peanut butter?

If it does happen, just one more search engine for everyone to flock to and try to game. It'll be great at first, because it'll be "new", "shiny", "easy". Then they do an algorithm update and become hated just like Google.

Very interesting indeed.

So Google challenged Facebook by going social, now Facebook is challenging Google. It's a veritable arms race (and as in all wars truth is what dies first).

I certainly see a lot of potential in Facebook's search engine using their vast amounts of user demographics. And they certainly have the financial power to attract some of the most brilliant minds in the industry. This is a good time to be a SE developer I suppose.

Personally I'm sick of Google and I'm phasing it out for other SEs that I feel will give me less commercially biased results.

Many have tried. Including Microsoft.

It ain't easy.

Imagaine Apple having their own search engine, that would be dope!

It sounds good. Nobody should dominate in this tech era. Hope somebody should take the place of Facebook in Social Networking.

very interesting..we'll see how this goes.

Competition will only help the end user: us. It will force prices down, keep standards up, and push the envelope for innovation. I'm sure real market forces are not completely in control because the game is heavily financed by monopoly players, but it should keep things lively.

It has always had a search engine...

Yahoo and Bing have not failed. They still have a nice chunk of search engine traffic.

It will be interesting to see for sure.

I just find it funny how many want one "not so sparkling" company to beat out the other one. :rolleyes:

Facebook's recent IPO launch and user privacy issues should be kept in perspective for sure.

Well I agree with Will on this that they're probably doing this to find out what interests people and to redirect traffic that would be lost to Google to stay with Facebook.

However, I feel pretty confident in saying this will be another attempt to knock Google of their perch and it will very likely fail as many have before. Whilst the likes of Yahoo and Bing combined have approx 30% market share give or take, I can't see Facebook disturbing things too much one way or the other.

If you're asking is this a sensible move for Facebook to take then I would say it probably is based on what Will's said. If you're asking are they likely to challenge Google I would think definitely not.

Joel

Hmmmmmmmm... Feels like when i first read the post that Google Plus is going to take over Facebook.

To me, it would be really nice if Google had a serious competitor in the field.But how easy can that be? Only time will show.

Thanks for sharing

Dimitris

I am damn sure, if Facebook build a new search engine, it will take data from Google.

I would love to see this happen and bust the door wide open. Facebook would make a good run if they use their heads.

BOOM


New Guy In market

But Google is king

the more competition for the big G is great for all of us.

I think its going to be as good as google's attempt of social media lol plus.

I don't think they'll touch google, but they might run a distant second or third.

They are stupid...

Mark is stupid I mean...

They will get crushed during first seconds of direct impact...

If Mark is smart, he will attack Google's flanks first...

His first task should concentrate on finishing Google + services...

Then, he should proceed to "cut out" Google's "legs". One by One... niche by niche... slowly killing them...

That's the only way for small guy to kick BIG ass

I guess they'll do anything to avoid getting rid of Timeline. :rolleyes:

I agree with the others, they're going to have to create another brand to become successful IMO.

If they should succeed in muscling out Google as the #1 SE, I wonder if Google will sue. If I recall correctly, it's illegal for a company to leverage one monopoly they have to establish a monopoly in a different market. Of course, I'm not a lawyer.

Either way, don't really care. Knew it would happen sooner or later, and if fb manages to make a better SE than Google, then I'll be happy to use it.

I think there is room for a new player in search...G has somewhat of a bad rep...watch all the techie blog stories on it...they are mostly very negative (contrast that with all the love affair Apple stories!)...if a search player were to arise and it had that sort of warm glow of a reputation (again, like Apple) there could be some serious damage done to Google...which I wouldn't mind, after seeing them ban my adwords account 3 years ago.

(giggling on the inside)

This is a robust discussion! But aren't we kind of blowing a kazoo here? I mean seriously, FB search engine competing with Google?

Alright, I'll concede that Google+ is going to have NOTHING but an uphill battle to compete with FB. But, I think considering a few things all happening at once, this could be a reasonably short hill. (IPO failure, sell of, and ultimate return of FB to just a friend place)

Now IF this does happen, here's what else occurs. And I gleaned this from the pretty GREAT WSO that was released a while back on the google+ conspiracy code (note NO affiliate link...just givin love). These guys explained through their course a few strategies to use in Google+ that are GREAT. But my point here, when you step back and look at the WHOLE offering, you see something kinda scary and most definitely POWERFUL.

Google has quietly, despite how much we can tend to HATE them, been building THE platform.

I'm not talking about A social platform. Or a Document platform. Of an ecommerce platform. Or a Business Social Platform. OR......(wait for it...) a Search Platform.

Somewhere on page one, someone noted that 'if FB was to pull this off it would be a one stop launch platform when you sign in on your computer/phone'.

Well, google has done that. I mean really, stop and think about these two ideas;

1. Gmail - this was one that COMPLETELY slipped under the radar. EVERYONE who owns an Android phone HAS to have to have a GMAIL account. To date, the number is around 295 million. That's just about the WHOLE population of America!
This is crucial because that is already 300 MILLION users for ANYTHING they bring online (eh hem....Google+)
Link to the data

2. Omni-Present (already a number of platforms that simply need nurturing) For me, the second and most important thing to consider is the idea that they are ALREADY an established (and dominant) platform for so MUCH of our search, marketing, places etc. they are simply ALREADY there.

Can FB compete? I think not. They would have to, IMO, purchase one of the old SE's (Lycos, Metacrawler, Excite) and TRY to build it as suggested, as a separate brand, and then, after a few years of testing and building, THEN, integrate it into FB.

Now, how many of you REALLY think that in two years, Google won't have already figured out EXACTLY what we all want and delivered it through their OMNI-Platform?

that for me is the key. Google already has nearly EVERYTHING they need to pull us in, and they ONLY need to now, nurture and perfect (as best they can..it is after all, Google) their processes.

in my mind, I see ANYONE of those movies set in the future, where there's the big building in the center of Dome City. It has a BIG G on it, and EVERYTHING runs THROUGH it.

Don't like how that sounds...I must admit, but tell me, how do we avoid this? (cue scary music....) IT IS...OUR FUTURE....

LOL.

I would love to see that competition and innovations facebook has to offer. I think it is going to be incredible hard to overcome google though. Also would it be through bing or something of their own?

I believe it is something they are doing now that the FB stock has fallen and "Failed." It certainly would drive a lot more traffic (Different kind) through facebook asking their advertising income insane. I am an avid facebooker and google user, I cant imagine ever not using google...

With Facebook 'like' , Facebook is in a very good position to provide search results. They can rank the value of a site on how often it is liked. I personally hate Google (as a company not a service) and would love to see them take a dip in there market share.

I think I got hit by FB's internal search engine. It's huge. Based on likes. The problem is the traffic isn't very deep. Ie., not too much internal page clicking. This was across many sites so I doubt its just a problem with how one site is laid out or the content of the site.

Sounds like a good idea, but facebook doesn't have a brand for being a search engine, Imagine how it would be controlled and how the rankings would work, anything would go with this one. And, it would be subject to change at any moments notice without permission. I think google will continue to be the #1 search engine because it's well branded and rememberable, plus trusted

hello,

That would be great if facebook can tackle or tickle google because competition is never bad and always a good thing. So go facebook.

They'd be mad not to - they're in a prime position to do it and it's probably a matter of when not if.

Anything to undermine the arrogance of Google would be welcome.

I think both companies should stick to what their good with - google with search engines and facebook with social networks.

We saw how google went with their g+ venture, and i think facebook search will have the same result.

I dont think so if it works as well as timeline .. but yes google need a great rival(s)

If FB releases a search engine, Google will eat it alive and become stronger.

I love to hear this news.... hope that Google will get new competitor in the SE industry.

If Google develops its social graph faster than Facebook develops its search capabilities (which will probably be the case), then Google will still rein king.

I'm all for this as now above the fold on Google's search results is only 25% results (if that) and the rest paid ads. As long as FB search isn't all about searching through people's FB profiles, walls, posts, and it works like a normal search engine I hope they eat Google's lunch.

Great, more opportunity for all of us...

I'm much more interested in seeing more alternatives to adsense than I am to Google's search engine. I assume that the companies that own the search engines will make it more and more difficult to get free listings so I've been working for years already on traffic from non-search engine sources.

Most of my sites appeal to a very general audience that doesn't allow me to target particular products so adsense is my big payday. It would be nice to see several competitors for advertising income in case somehow adsense revenues begin to falter. So far, everything I've tried has failed miserably in comparison.

Of course, I have no objection to competition for their search engine. It might keep Google from continuing to add more paid ads at the top of the results if another search engine is competing with better targeted results at the top.

In the past 3 or 4 years, my pages online have doubled, my traffic has gone up about 40% and my traffic from Google has remained steady. Not a good sign. Many of my #1 positioned pages are now #4 after three paid ads. #4s are now #6s after two paid ads. Etc. That's why I'm targeting other traffic sources now.

in my opinion they will simply fail.

Google is not the only one - there are other alternative search engines.

At kawgo.com there are links to over 50 different search engines.

The links are working & ad free!

Talking about search engines, has anyone ever tried 1SearchEngine ? Play around with it and remember to "hover here" to really see what it can do. I thought it was pretty cool, especially when you switch to the blogs and social sections. I originally saw it being sold on Flippa and wanted to buy it. I don't know about search engines and I'm a newbie so I decided against it. Still think it is a neat one.

Good news but is it a good idea? Its not easy to beat Google today.

I believe that Facebook is trying to survive after being left behind by Twitter, and after having to compete with Google+.

Facebook must do something to save its position. Otherwise, it will end up like MySpace.

I imagine that Facebook's leap into search will fair about as well as Google's leap into social networking.

Not to mention that Facebook already knows almost every thing about you just imagine adding everything you've ever searched for (I know you have nothing to hide) to the mix.

I can see it now:

"Joe searched for rash cream - 8 people liked " Would you like to share it?

It doesn't work they are good in their field. We do know that how Google plus failed.
Yes...google's google plus.., how could we think Facebook beat Google., they are just born.

I saw this too,
this is not a bad idea,
it will be a combination of Google and Facebook.

While FB needs some work to really take on Google for SE
They do have a leg up in the demographic analytics.
Think of all that personal information they collected from you.
Why do you think GPlus is pushing so hard on verifying personal credentials?
Demographic mining.
We are already starting to see this in our personal search when logged into our GPlus account.

It would be hard enough for Facebook to play against Google