Get Ready for Social Search

Savvy small-business owners have been using search engine marketing and social media to harness Internet traffic in cost-effective ways. Lately, as the Internet matures, we’re seeing an interesting trend: search and social are becoming intertwined.

How do web searches and social media
work together? What does this mean
for your company?

Search helps consumers find companies, products and services relevant to them. When they visit Google, they’re looking for something in particular.

That’s not usually true of social media. People log into Facebook simply for the fun of catching up with friends. But therein lies a different kind of value: peer recommendations. Before making a purchase, many consumers, especially those age 38 and younger, use recommendations found on social sites.

So we’re seeing consumers using search to check out various purchase options and social to narrow the options and validate final choices. Within social networks, even simple indicators of brand affinity (such as Likes and @ mentions) can influence purchasing decisions.

Search and Social Meld Into One
Get ready for a great search + social mashup. The integration of platforms like Google, Bing and Facebook creates greater value for users; the extra social layer helps them make purchase decisions more efficiently. Instead of doing a search query, studying the results and then checking the validity within their social network, they’ll simply use social search with all these features built in.

It’s high time you took social media seriously. Social will drive more relevant search results and decrease the time it takes consumers to get info they need and trust. Make sure you’re ready for the next big thing: an online world in which search introduces you to potential customers and lets them validate their choice through social networks.

Bob Wendt, President
Cultivate Communications

PS: The world of social marketing is buzzing about Facebook's Graph Search. People are already predicting what this means for local businesses and big brands. Too much jargon for your busy schedule? Don’t worry, once the dust settles we’ll keep you updated on what this all means for you and your company.