Does Using Social Networks Create More Openings Than Existing Search Engines?
Google has evolved to become the major company on the internet over the last twelve years. However it was reported by the internet industry watchers Hitwise that in March 2010, Facebook displaced Google as the world’s most popular website, with Facebook creating more traffic in America than Google. Does this mean that social networking sites are becoming an alternative to the traditional search engines?
The traditional search engines may be creating less traffic than the social networking sites but of course how those sites are utilised is very different. Search engine use is more purposeful traffic. By the way in which they are used, the normal customer will spend a lot less time in a search engine but with a particular aim. The speed of getting an outcome is more vital. The traditional search engines are still a vital sales tool, and search engine optimisation is still an essential tool. A lot of new trade can still be generated with an improved search engine positioning. After an initial examination of your company’s website and some simple enhancements the information provided on the search engine listing can become more visible. Some more work to market the company’s website and increase the awareness of the search engines will help to increase that search engine positioning to attain a ranking on page one of the results.
On a social networking site, most of that extra traffic must be using the site for its primary reason – being social. There will be very little commercial activity. It may be viable for other types of search such as film reviews, but it is hard to contemplate how a customer searching for an enterprise to supply products or services would try a social network.
The social networks are financed by bought advertising, but if potential customers are spending so much time in a network that is apparently very popular then that publicity must cost more than publicity elsewhere. search engine optimisation can be better value for money than paid advertising. Using tools supplied by the search engines, the impact of search optimization is also easy to assess.
It could be said that Facebook groups are more focused by their nature. The groups are collections of similar people with similar needs. But by the very nature of being special interest groups, they are also closed. A group member chooses how visible to be, and who can have access to any information that may be seen. search optimization will have no affect on this.
Traditional searches are wide open, with no need to be part of a group at all. There are still lots of potential customers for whom the social networking sites are a complete irrelevance, nothing more than another strange tag in the corner of a web site, a place to reference because it appears it needs to be. Those potential customers will still originate from a good search engine positioning on a traditional search engine. Search engine optimisation can improve your company’s website and help provide the information the potential customer really needs.
The social networking sites such as Facebook may be getting busier, but Google and the other traditional search engines will still be a valuable source of trade for your company. search optimization will still make a great difference.

