Facebook Nearby and Local Search

[djbaxter]

Facebook Gets Into Local Search With ?Facebook Nearby? For iOS & Android
by Greg Sterling, Search Engine Land
Dec 17, 2012

As of today, you can count Facebook as a potentially significant new competitor in local search ? on mobile devices. The company is updating the ?Nearby? feature in its iOS and Android apps

Nearby Becomes Local Search Tool
Previously Nearby was about finding where your friends had checked-in. After the app update Nearby will still show you where your friends have checked-in. But now, more importantly, it will also show you nearby businesses and other places ranked by various criteria. It becomes a local search and discovery tool.

You?ll be able to search or browse in the new UI to find local businesses by name or by category. This change is designed to make the Facebook app a go-to source for local information (at least in selected categories).

Results will be ranked according to a number of criteria: star ratings, check-ins, Likes and recommendations. Your network will act as a filter. But where there is no feedback from your network the larger Facebook community?s engagement with that business or place will determine the ordering of the results presented to you.

Read more...

 

[Linda Buquet]

With the high adoption rate of FB by SMBs I wonder what impact this will have? Have not had time to read much about it yet but thanks for sharing David. Good info to know!

 

[djbaxter]

The interesting thing, to me,, about Facebook marketing is that it gives you a highly targeted market of like-minded people who, if they like your product or service, will spread the word to similar demographics, kind of like word of mouth on steroids.

I've been watching this with a new startup business and so far Facebook and selective mailouts are killing other marketing options.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Interesting to hear David. That's right you are helping a new local start-up get off the ground right now so all this local stuff we talk about is more relevant for you.

Do share what's working for you as you go along. I don't have the bandwidth to even think about FB because I'm so entrenched in the Google stuff but obviously for local FB is growing in importance so do share as you find things of interest.

 

[BCLocal]

Facebook's New Local

Sorry for the re-post! Thanks for the help Linda!

This just adds yet another facet to our local search optimizations-

Facebook Gets Into Local Search With "Facebook Nearby" For iOS & Android

Looks like I'll be creating a lot more Facebook pages in the not too distant future!

I mainly work with home-based service oriented businesses who often seem to be the unloved step child of Google+Local (less preference than a P.O.S. brick and mortar). Do you think Facebook will take a similar approach for service oriented, home-based businesses?

Brandon

 

[Linda Buquet]

Thanks for posting Brandon. We already had a post but it was hidden down in our brand new Social forum so you didn't see it. So I merged yours into the existing discussion. (But thanks for posting and don't ever hesitate because this could be a topic we'd missed covering.)

Very interesting point about service area businesses. I can tell you one thing. If Google does not serve that market better they are going to go somewhere. Maybe FB if they do it right!