How Facebook’s New Search Engine Affects Google, SEO and YOUR Law Firm
The big news in the tech world today is Facebook’s unveiling of a new, “smarter” search engine known as “Graph Search”.
This tool would seek to effectively rival Google, as users will receive more personalized results based on the interactions of people already in their social circles. Here’s a great description of how it works from Mashable:
The search improvements involve the ability to ask questions in regular English, such as “which of my friends live in New York?” The search is now intelligent enough to rank your friends based on how much interaction you’ve had — so that closer friends will appear higher up the results list.
It can also search based on stories or photos you’ve Liked. One example Zuckerberg offered: the site can now display which of his friends have Liked the HBO show Game of Thrones. You can search for people who Like multiple products or services, which seems likely to be a bonanza for marketers.
And for those search queries that can not simply be answered by looking at the recommendations and “likes” of close family and friends, the graph search will default to a web-based search powered by none other than Google’s rival, Bing.
SO the big question in all of this is what do these changes mean for your law firm, SEO plan and current social media strategies?
Graph search was not intended to replace Google as a “traditional search engine” for web based results, but there is a very good chance that this “social” search engine will cut into a decent chunk of Google’s pie. As we’ve seen with the integration online reviews and the popularity of sites such as Yelp, people are interested to hear honest feedback about local businesses from neighbors and friends before they make a buying decision.
As far as SEO, the writing has been on the wall for years now that social media would one day have a greater impact on SEO and search results. Social sharing is already a factor that affects Google’s algorithm, and with Graph Search on the horizon, users may no longer have to turn to Google at all to find a local professional. Again, from Mashable:
Facebook’s Graph Search isn’t just for looking up your old buddies and potential new friends, it’s also designed for Business Pages.
The company gave the example of a search for “sushi restaurants that my friends have been to in Los Angeles” and “TV shows my friends like.” Though these are largely organic results rather than paid ads (“There are no new ad formats available today,” Facebook noted on its marketer-friendly Facebook Studio blog), Sponsored Stories will show up in searches as will Sponsored Results.
Overall rankings will be based on top search suggestions including people, Pages, apps, places, groups and suggested searches. The results are also based on data shared by a business and connections of the person searching. In the blog post, Facebook urged business owners to “Continue to invest in your Page” by making sure it’s up-to-date. That means updating addresses to show up in local searches and cultivate “the right fans.”
http://mashable.com/2013/01/15/facebooks-graph-search-businesses/
Essentially, if you have been late to the social media marketing game for your law firm, now is a really smart time to jump in and get ahead of the curve (…and ahead of your competition!). If people are going to be searching for legal services based on the recommendations of those in their network, you want to do everything in your power to get “liked” and show up on that list!
Here are a few action steps to ensure that happens:
- If you haven’t done so already, set up a Facebook business page and claim your vanity URL.
- Spend the money on a graphic designer to create a cover image that is professional and reflective of your practice.
- Take the time to fill in all relevant details about your firm, including your current address and all contact information (this will be important for geotargeting reasons).
- Use various Facebook apps to spotlight your events, opt-ins and free reports.
- Start promoting your page by sending an invitation out to your Facebook friends.
- Commit to updating your page daily. Post helpful articles, videos, tips and more on legal topics and current events.
- Interact and engage with people who comment on your links. Encourage shares and likes in a tasteful way.
- Consider running targeted ads and sponsored stories aimed at prospects in your own backyard in order to increase your page “likes”, get new opt-ins for your free reports, generate referrals and more.
If you need help with this, our team at Legal Marketing Maven is available to get you up and running with an amazing Facebook fan page before these changes take place.
Our Fan Page set up for attorneys in any practice area is a one-time fee of $250, which includes a professionally designed cover image reflective of your branding and the values of your firm. Prices on Facebook ad management and fan base growth vary depending on the length of the duration and campaign, so just “email us” to inquire of those services.
And of course, don’t forget to check with your local bar regarding any ethics rules that pertain to social media marketing—ESPECIALLY if you are going to have staff members contributing to, or updating your page!
I’m interested to see how this plays out. Millions of people are already on Facebook, so I can see this new search engine being something that sticks. Regardless, you still need to be there. Follow the tips I outlined above and get started this week!
Would you like to talk about how we can help you save time on your marketing and help you turn ideas into action? Simply schedule a time on my calendar for a no-strings virtual cup of coffee.