Still officially in beta, Facebook just made several changes to its Graph Search initiative, including the ability to more easily find old posts, and better mobile functionality.
Since its
launch, Facebook has positioned Graph Search as an enhanced search engine for users. While Google is still considered the king of search, Facebook is not unfamiliar with the subject. Indeed, as of
June, the social giant was processing more than 1 billion search queries a day.
“Search at Facebook is a long-term effort,” Tom Stocky, vice president, search at Facebook,
explained in a blog post. Stocky described the new mobile functionality and additional change to Graph as “a step toward helping you tap into the experiences and perspectives of your
friends.”
Reports that Facebook was testing Graph for mobile first surfaced in late August. In response, the company said in a statement: "We're testing an improvement to search on
mobile. In this test, you can use keywords to search for posts you’re in the audience for on Facebook.”
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Regarding Facebook’s broader search ambitions, CEO Mark Zuckerberg
said earlier this year: “Over the next few years, as we make progress on building out search … I expect us to deliver even greater utility for people.”
Facebook first
debuted Graph Search in the summer of 2013. The feature originally let users find photos and other bits of information previously shared with friends and family, but only via desktop computer. At the
time, analysts interpreted the move as a way to increase user engagement.
Late last year, Facebook made posts and status updates searchable within its network as part its Graph initiative.
Once feared to be Facebook’s Achilles’ heel, mobile and mobile advertising are now thriving thanks to the stewardship of the social giant. Along with Google, Facebook helped drive
mobile ad spending up 105% to $17.96 billion in 2013 -- up from $8.76 billion in 2012, according to global estimates from eMarketer.
This year, mobile advertising is on pace to rise another
75.1% to $31.45 billion, which would account for nearly a quarter of total digital ad spending worldwide.
Combined, Facebook and Google saw an increase of $6.92 billion in net mobile ad
revenues in 2013.
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