6 Marketing Benefits of Facebook’s Graph Search

The January 15th announcement of Facebook’s new Graph Search bears exciting opportunity for enhanced marketing opportunities for businesses. Facebook has always been a closed site, meaning users can only interact with those within their friend circle. Facebook’s search limited people from meeting other users, discovering new places, and learning about other brands.

Graph Search brings the possibility of opening up users to new people, brands, and businesses they would have never discovered in the previous version of Facebook. Here are 6 of the countless ways that businesses will be able to gain visibility and insights about current and potential customers:

1. Increased Visibility
Businesses will now be able to gain exposure through connections and through location based searches. Users will be able to search for businesses or brands their friends like, and businesses near current locations, allowing businesses to be seen by greater quantity, as well as a more relevant pool of users.

2. Fan Research
Currently, businesses can look at who is following their pages through follower insights, but cannot view any information that users do not have public. Through Graph Search, businesses will be able to look at followers of their business, and gain insights into their demographics and interests. Through discovering specific demographics or interests that their fan base shares, they can market directly to those with similar interests.

3. Competitor Research
Like with fan research, businesses can look into fans of their competitors. Through gaining information about fans of competitors, companies can look at potential customers that they may not be marketing to with their current marketing campaigns. Businesses can look into target audiences their competitors are targeting and receiving business from to gain insight into their marketing strategies.

4. Ability To Optimize Business Page For Search (Facebook SEO)

With Graph Search, results will be based on a variety of specifications including on page content (added by business), fan base, and ad spend. Make sure to fill out your fan page with keyword rich content, add pictures, and increase engagement. Photos are also able to be searched of on Graph Search, so make sure your photos have descriptions and are tagged with your business. Also, make sure there are like buttons on your website to draw new followers!

5. Lead Generation & Networking
Graph Search lets users search for users with specific demographics, likes, and interests in specific locations. Businesses can search for specific target audiences, and gain connections through messaging target audiences. For example, a cycling store in Seattle, can find users who like cycling living in Seattle, and directly message them about specials. Users can also search for local business owner, as well as other people who work in specific fields or at specific companies, allowing for direct networking opportunities.

6. New Advertising Opportunities
Facebook is also expected to roll out new advertising opportunities for local businesses. Businesses will be able to pay to be sponsored businesses, so that they can appear above organic Graph Search listings.

Utilizing these new features of Facebook Graph Search will help contribute to your business’ social media marketing success. Currently in beta, you can add your account the Graph Search waitlist here.

Allison Schaffer

Perfect Search Media