Finally, the wait is over! Yesterday, I got my Graph Search on Facebook and I had some crazy time doing all the permutations and combinations to find my friends with the places they’ve been to, artists they listen to, games they play etc.
What is Facebook Graph Search?
Graph Search is a new tool introduced by Facebook, which is currently in Beta phase. It appears at the top of every page allowing you to search/filter information that is public or shared with you.
What’s In It for You?
Graph Search allows you to find your photos or photos you are tagged in, friends sharing similar interest, or find new places, bands etc.
- Find friends with similar interests, hobbies.
e.g. Your query can be like “My friends who play guitar” - Explore new places, music, movies etc.
e.g. You can find friends from Hard Rock Café by putting “My friends who have been to Hard Rock Café” - Stalk photos 😉
e.g. If you want to find your photos that were taken before 2011 then you can put query, “My photos taken before 2011”
Really, it is that simple!
How Can You Get It?
Currently, it is available to very few users for English (US) audience. But still you can join the waiting list at the bottom of the page.
Link: https://www.facebook.com/about/graphsearch
Privacy Thing
Facebook has claimed that no changes in Privacy Settings have been done and only Public and Shared content can be retrieved through Graph Search.
Your friends can still find your hidden tagged pictures. So, if you want to get rid of this you need to untag or delete your photos.
How Is It Different From Web Search?
Web search particularly is based on keywords. Like type “Metallica” and you will get the results based on web search algorithm. Whereas, Graph Search is based on combination of phrases like, “My friends from Chicago, who like Metallica”.
So, each search serves different purpose.
Facebook is aiming to make world more open and considering user sentiments to make its usability more awesome! I am not going to review it. I am still riffing around with it and I am still not sure how can it be used for Marketing purpose.
Previously, when Facebook had come up with changes it initially faced criticism but later users got used to it. But, I haven’t found such criticism about Graph Search yet.
Finally, would like to conclude by saying, it’s a revolutionary tool introduced by Facebook because it was never so easy to find masses sharing similar traits, interests!
Article by: Indrajeet Deshpande
TheRedBrand 