Does Google need to beat Facebook?
I read an article in Fortune magazine this morning that chastises Google for not trying to catch up to Facebook in Google's social media attempts. While I don't disagree that Google's attempts at social media have been, well, rather less than successful, I disagree with much of the discussion that puts Facebook and Google as head-to-head rivals.
Let's talk about that a bit.
In a previous post, I made the argument that advertising your business on Facebook may not be required, particularly if you're looking for direct conversions. This is true for both buying ads on Facebook as well as interacting with customers on Facebook. Whether or not that will pay off for you largely depends on the kind of business you're running.
Google really wants to compete with Facebook in the social media arena. The reasons for this are obvious: Facebook commands a huge number of page views, with hundreds of millions of active users. More than 25% of daily page views in the United States occur at Facebook. That means advertising revenue, which is Google's bread and butter.
Facebook, on the other hand, while clearly having a spirit of rivalry against Google, does not at the present seem interested in stepping into the search business.
That's why I say that Facebook and Google aren't really head-to-head competitors. Google does search. Facebook does social. People who visit Google are far more likely to have a buyer's mindset than the people going to Facebook to network. The two behemoths are major players in parallel fields.
It's true that Google's services and Facebook's sometimes overlap, but it's more like the way Best Buy overlaps with Wal-Mart. Yes, there are some things you can get at Wal-Mart that you can also find at Best Buy (and vice versa), but their markets are not the same, and people who shop at Wal-Mart will quite likely also sometimes go to Best Buy (and again, vice versa).
When people want to buy something, or do research before buying something, Google is where they go. Few people go to Facebook to try and get reviews on the latest electronic gadget. Does that mean they never ask their friends at Facebook what they think about those things? No, but it's not their primary source of information. That's Google's department.
But when people want to hang out, see what their friends are up to, send baby pictures to their family, or even plan a dinner date or a party -- Facebook is their destination. If they want to find old friends, acquaintances and colleagues, Google isn't nearly as effective in most cases either.
Yes, those two situations overlap each other somewhat, but they are not in direct competition with each other. I really wish people would stop writing about the two companies as if they were. They want to be (or, at least, Google clearly wants to compete with Facebook), but they don't, not really, not yet.
People who go to Google also use Facebook, and Facebook users still search the web with Google. This is evidenced by the fact that both are still growing. Google for the first time had one billion visitors in one month (May), an 8%+ increase. Facebook's page views and ad revenue continues to grow as well. They two don't appear to be cannibalizing each other -- at least not in the way the media likes to say they are. I think that stems more from a lack of understanding than anything else.
Now, if Facebook ever decides to get into the search business, Google has more to fear. But so far, at least, Facebook hasn't shown that to be one of their intentions. Given the difficulty in building a search engine that rivals Google, and the number of large-scale failures to do so in the past, it doesn't surprise me that Facebook has so far stuck to what they do best -- and that ain't search.
Google is continuously hounded by investors to expand and increase their profit margins. While still growing, it's not the double-digit growth of times past, and investors want expansion. Facebook is younger, still showing a lot of growth in users, page views and revenue. Will Facebook reach the leveling off point where they, too, must try to expand? It's inevitable that they will, and especially once they become a publicly traded company there will be much more pressure for them to find new markets.
I'm not sure that would be a good thing for anybody, though. Google is a great search engine, and Facebook is by far the most accomplished social networking site in the world. Google's current attempts at social media have been embarrassing failures. Any attempt by Facebook to rival Google in search has a great risk of being an equally embarrassing failure.
As a marketer I'm very interested in this, and you should be, too. It's important to know when it makes sense to expand into other markets for traffic, leads and sales. When Bing only commanded single-digit search percentages, I ignored it. Now that Bing generates 30% of searches in the US, I make sure my sites are optimized for Bing as well.
So I'm watching the Facebook / Google rivalry closely, but so far the two don't seem to me to be nearly as competitive with each other as most news reports would have you believe.
Please post your thoughts in a comment below.
Enjoy this article?
July 1st, 2011 - 07:53
I don’t think Google needs to beat Facebook but it would be futile for them to try to do that. Though i see Facebook falling off like Myspace because it has become a market/spam paradise lately.
July 1st, 2011 - 06:34
Many people I know don’t even like FB, it may be a generation thing, I am over 50. I live in the US and have friends all over the world and FB is the easiest way for us to communicate, with the odd phone call here and there. I would never even think about looking for information on FB about anything I wanted to buy, nor click on any ads.
As a (had sites in the past gave up and started all over again) new internet marketer, I am still dancing around the whole social media thing, especially FB. At this point, a couple of months into building 3 sites, I am wondering if Google’s +1 takes off, if Big G will start decreasing the importance of FB. I am very interested in the FB/Bing idea, MS has been very quiet lately … I just wish social did mean social, I would prefer to meet my friends in a park not a shopping mall, if you get my drift.
There’s never a dull moment in this biz.
June 30th, 2011 - 10:59
Well Google really wants to be involved in everything and lets face it they have the traffic and audience to do so. I think Facebook is actually trying to be like Google for the same reasons.
June 29th, 2011 - 04:28
Jonathan
Have respect for you and your products, but on this topic you have completely missed the point
And you are so far off the mark, it is difficult for me to know where to start to even reply
From a business user point – both Google and Facebook generate sales income – the process is different but the outcome is the same
From an search marketing industry observer / investor – both Google and Facebook have a similar business models – PPC advertising
Google has done to search engines, what now facebook has done to social media
It is understandable that you do not see this – you have said on many occasions, you are a software developer, and you have produced many tools that specifically improve the search marketing results in search engines.
Facebook requires a 180 degree shift in that approach – I have seen a few SEO consultants move into Facebook to “game” the system, and what I have seen they have been quite successful at that. However, “gaming” the system will not work in the long run, as Facebook has a much tighter grip on their system. Facebook does not need to tweak an algorithm, they can just ban users, then its game over start again from zero.
Facebook is more about strategy, than tricks ( and there is a workable strategy )
Facebook is a true alternative to search marketing for businesses to secure sales
Now for the important point:
As Back links are the gold nuggets needed in Google
Likes are the gold nuggets needed in Facebook
and i will leave it there
Ends….
June 29th, 2011 - 07:44
Your comments only prove my point. Fb and Google are very different and do not directly compete with each other. It doesn’t matter if they both use PPC as their way to earn money, their services are vastly different — as you point out yourself.
July 1st, 2011 - 02:13
Jonathan
FB and Google do directly compete for the same PPC advertising budget – that is the whole point
Where Bing and Yahoo are direct competitors with Google for the same PPC advertising budget, Google dominates the search market.
The point is, FB is a real contender for that PPC advertising budget – and the stock market investors see that as a threat to Google’s revenue income, and that is the point
With both FB and Google you start the business process with a PPC advertising budget and end up with a sale. I agree the process is different, but the principle is the same.
And where as Yahoo and Bing are no real threat to Google’s PPC income, FB is now seen as a real possible threat because FB is a real alternative marketing strategy.
Regards
June 29th, 2011 - 04:23
My perception is that the Rivalry between the two giants Google and Facebook would only add profits to their respective bussinesses.
June 28th, 2011 - 13:36
I am still a newbie at internet marketing, so I am not going to choose sides. What I am going to do is play the field the very best that I can using Google and Facebook for what they do best. I want to let people know about my online efforts, if Facebook can add to those viewing my sites then all the better.
June 27th, 2011 - 19:34
facebook is a goldmine for some people and google too but they do totally different marketing,at least right now, i don’t think they bite each other as they do great on their own field
June 27th, 2011 - 02:23
Loved reading your post. However, I am not sure about the Bing story. I know every one says that they have gained 30% of the market. But to be frank, I am barely registering any hits from them. So either Google is really good at indexing or Bing is just focusing on a small or perhaps very focused market that I’m not part of…
Cheers,
GT
June 27th, 2011 - 01:56
I appreciated logic on the 2 giants sticking in their own areas but I think Google has shown its itentions with the way it buys up other properties on the web even though they are mainly search engine related.
Have they not recently been in dispute with Paypal?
Be under no illusion, if Google cant do social media they will probably find a way of buying their way in at some point
June 26th, 2011 - 20:16
Personally I agree with you but I go one step further, it is good for business for both of them to make out something is going on. It is a bit like whatever you go ‘OOO” AND “ahhhh” at it gets the fuss. Also your so right, however I can see them working together more than against each other.
June 26th, 2011 - 15:59
I like your style of writing, simple and plain. This Google Facebook rivalry is the doing of our fellow folks who hype everything by setting fire where there is no smoke. Very good article
June 26th, 2011 - 13:50
You make some good points here Jon. I think lots of people (the media) want to make the “rivalry” more than it is.
On the other hand, Facebook does have a lot more detailed information about is users than Google does, information that would really help Google present relevant advertising to it’s customers. So, if I was over at Google, I’d be wanting to figure out how to get that information… And, if Facebook did want to go more into search, they already have lots of demographic information about their users, which could conceivably, if done well, give them an advantage in presenting search results.
So there is a rivalry there, at this time more of an “indirect competition” like “green tea benefits weightloss” points out.
I’ll keep an eye on both, and keep working both…
June 26th, 2011 - 13:17
I think you made some great points. As of right now they are to giants but each in their on field.
June 26th, 2011 - 11:47
Yes Jonathan….Google is now focusing on social media too, remember launch of +1 button? And you got a good review about this as you are successful internet marketer. Facebook & Google never gonna be ‘Head to Head’ but facebook need to be worry about their future as people tends to get bore with social community sites and examples are Orkut; myspace etc….!!!
June 26th, 2011 - 08:00
I don’t think that Facebook will enter the search engines world. They should first fix their own profile’s search – it’s so bad it’s not even funny.
June 26th, 2011 - 02:46
Indirect competition is a good thing, though… without it Google would have a monopoly on the entire internet (not that they don’t already).
June 25th, 2011 - 23:50
Thanks for the interesting post. I think you’re basically correct in your assessment of the situation. However, I think Google is a bit concerned about the social search aspect of Facebook. In other words, there may be a trend developing where people are asking their Friends for information on a particular topic or question, or even searching Facebook for Fan pages on a particular subject, rather than first going to Google or another search engine for information. We will see how this developes, as time passes. All the best, Laurie
June 25th, 2011 - 23:40
It really make sense. As usual, brilliant post.
June 25th, 2011 - 13:34
Yes, really cannot understand why there are always press releases which talks about rivalry between Google and Facebook when both are dominating in their own realms.
But that being said, seems to me that it is much easier for Facebook to create a search engine and put down Google, instead of Google creating a social media site which can put FB down. Facebook has become a part of everybody’s life, so that is definitely a much difficult habit to kick ^_^
June 25th, 2011 - 12:09
Great article. The pie is getting bigger for both of them everyday. There are still millions of people on dial up that will live on Google and Facebook more when they get broadband access.
For me, I see it as an opportunity to deliver more value to my customers because now there is a new layer of “magic” that an Internet marketing company can provide to their customers.
Both Facebook and Google are taking over the dollars that were already being spent via traditional advertising so there is still plenty to be had in the revenue arena as well.
/Justin-Lofton
June 25th, 2011 - 11:53
I think the market will dictate this. Google will pursue their interest in social, of course, but ultimately, how many of us ‘consumers’ will really want to put all of our ‘search eggs’ in the one basket? I know for sure I wouldn’t.
I love the variety you can find online and will be a sad day indeed if that choice is limited.
June 25th, 2011 - 10:41
Great article Jon,
I was wondering how long it would take for someone to realize these two companies are apples and oranges,
Just curious what you think about Bing though, do you think their market share has risen (other than joining with Yahoo) in part do to the fact that if you use facebook to search they use Bing for the search results? Afterall if I am on Facebook and something pops into my head I can search right there instead of opening Google.
Thanks,
Kelly
June 25th, 2011 - 10:45
My assumption is that comScore included the facebook searches in their new Bing numbers, but I don’t know that for sure.
June 25th, 2011 - 10:30
Brilliant article Jon!
June 25th, 2011 - 10:19
Jonathan. great analogy. I agree that there is a vast difference between Google and Facebook. I rely on search and most of it comes from Google, however I should use Facebook more as it will probably build links very well.
June 25th, 2011 - 09:09
I agree with what you have written here. I go to Google when I’m thinking of buying something. I go to Facebook to connect with friends.’Can’t really remember any instance of a friend in Facebook influencing any specific buying decision of mine.
June 25th, 2011 - 07:00
You said it right when you mention “not yet”. I don’t see FB getting into search but there is an undercurrent of advertisers that is moving their business from google and that will continue to grow. Advertisers want eyeballs and what better place to find eyeballs than FB
June 25th, 2011 - 04:31
You made some wicked great points…I have no doubt that both companies have plans for “global domination”.
I believe that there are some government types involved in operations of FB – I wonder how long they will be happy with “just” (massive as it is) the Social Side.
As a forward thinking business no doubt neither will want you & I to spend to much time outside of their influence.
We live in very interesting times…
June 25th, 2011 - 04:13
Hello Jonathon, I agree that they are not direct competitors and personally I think they should just stick to what they do best and contentrate on that!
According to the news and other media sources the current view is that facebook is levelling out and infact many people are leaving them to privacy and commercialisation issues
June 25th, 2011 - 02:23
Thanks for this thorough and clearly written article, which is explaining the difference between Google and Facebook very clearly. Excellent information!
June 25th, 2011 - 01:40
Google will never beat Facebook, not now, not in the future.
Google shouldn’t be allowed to dominate the Internet. They need good and strong competitors to put them back on track.
June 25th, 2011 - 01:30
I agree with You.
But advertising on Google is too expensive…
On Facebook You won´t pay so much for ads and they are effective…
June 25th, 2011 - 01:07
Very well said. I’ve always maintained that Google and Facebook aren’t direct competitors, just indirect ones. However, people not clued in on the online space, i.e. most of management in companies and investment houses don’t understand this, and don’t want to listen. Management only wants to hear what they already think they know….
June 25th, 2011 - 00:02
A large percentage of users log into FB first thing in the morning and don’t log out until late evening. FB are doing everything in their power to keep users within FB and they’re doing it well. My generation meet at a shopping mall to socialize and spending money there was just apart of socializing. I’ve heard it said that this generation are starting to believe that FB is the Internet. Who’s Google?
June 24th, 2011 - 23:13
Specificity, specialization, particularity seem to be the words I hear. Will Google always be for searching? Will Facebook always be for a Social Network? I hope so.
June 24th, 2011 - 22:08
I share the same view with you Jon. But if Facebook wanted to start building search engine … then.. google will be in trouble
June 24th, 2011 - 21:57
Google don’t want to lose a big piece of the pie, sure they will need to beat facebook.
June 24th, 2011 - 21:38
The hoopla surrounding all the facebook traffic methods etal are marketing gimmicks, after all a simple logic defies it all, someone who wants to buy something is not going to facebook and search for it, but they does it definitely at google. Facebook may be having all the traffic due to the addictive nature of it, it has become a chatbox which once yahoo used to be, it got to die down or it appeals only to a certain percentage of people in certain age group and doing things that is in “fashion”, the hoopla will die down in couple of years as it always happen with any addictive nature of surfing, IMO.
June 24th, 2011 - 21:10
Thanks, you article clearly supports both of the Internet giants without bias.
June 24th, 2011 - 20:12
I agree that Google needs to leave well enough alone. Facebook is clearly a SOCIAL network site, NOT a search engine. Google seems to be getting mighty greedy if you ask me.
June 24th, 2011 - 19:55
You mentioned that you optimize your sites for Bing as well. What do you do differently for bing than Google. As I’m writing this comment I just saw a link at the bottom of this page that says How To Rank In Bing I take a look thanks
John bootton
June 24th, 2011 - 19:03
I’m Glad Bing get’s 30% of the search in the United States. I have a new website and have 18 links in Bing and Google doesn’t even recognize me. A big fat 0!… Plus a lot of my links are from Youtube videos that I uploaded. Google owns Youtube so you would think I would get those links from Google first.
The only thing I can think of it being is I use Bing as my search browser. Still you would think Google would pick those links up… if I gained 18 new links in the last 2 months.
June 24th, 2011 - 18:04
I don’t know why but part of me is now desperate to somehow take over governments and force facebook to merge with bing to form a real competitor for google. Real competition can surely only improve everything
June 24th, 2011 - 18:54
That would be cool to have a merge between bing and facebook, but to have the government force them is communistic. This is America.
June 24th, 2011 - 19:18
Agreed. Much better to force foreign governments to bend to the will of the US of A (that’s not communism; that’s free market capitalism)
June 24th, 2011 - 18:04
Very interesting article Jon,
different point of view, and everything is going down to the purpouse
thnx
June 24th, 2011 - 17:40
Hey Jon,
This is a very interesting conversation, but over the past few months I have looked at this Facebook v. Google thing in a completely different way.
1. Google hosts websites and caters to people who already own websites but they focus on search and revenue from advertisements. Which is great.
2. Facebook is a social platform with oodles and googles of users that reach into the multi-millions if not more.
What IF…. Facebook woke up one day and announced that they were offering an affordable hosting solution that even us little people could afford each month like $7.99 or something low like that.
Not just any solution, but a preformed (mini-facebook clone) solution that consisted of completely ready to customize sites complete with custom domain names, an option to turn on or off games and videos, chat, revenue sharing from Bing…. the whole 9 yards for people wanting personal websites and or business websites?
Then Google and MANY more companies would be truly shaking in there boots. I for one would move all 15 of my websites TODAY! Well, maybe not ALL 15.
But then I think to myself that their greed for fewer high dollar customers faster would price out the millions of little people that would make up probably 200-300% more monthly income…
I am just talking off the top of my head, but this is the challenge that I think Google and many other companies have to fear.
I better get some sleep…
my mind is playing tricks on me.
June 24th, 2011 - 17:36
I read your blog but I dont comment on them but this one brought it to a simple mind to look at both sides. This is how people see the news – One way untill someone brings the matter 360!
June 24th, 2011 - 16:59
Good article Jon !
June 24th, 2011 - 16:44
Very interesting ideas you have here, and it makes sense what you are saying perfect sense. thanks for sharing…
June 24th, 2011 - 16:28
A great article which I strongly agree. In business I have never felt that any competition is a bad thing. Being a small family company as we are the importance of being on page 1 of google if life or death for our company. At present the position on others like Bing is less important but certainly getting larger by the day.
June 24th, 2011 - 15:36
Hi Jon, I agree with you regarding the more likely buyer mindset on Google. However the social proof is WAAAY bigger on FB. How many times have you bought something simply because a friend or family member recommended it to you. And this what affiliate marketing is all about, isn’t it?
June 24th, 2011 - 15:42
I agree that social can have a big influence, but it’s limited to the range of products and services your friends and family have experience with. And that’s a very, very limited range. When you need information on something outside of that subset, Facebook falls flat and Google shines.
June 24th, 2011 - 18:30
I don’t think anyone can argue with the fact that the social proof at Facebook is amazing. But honestly, like most people I consider several sources before making a purchase or even taking the time to go see a movie. In the end, whatever great recommendations I find in Facebook, I go search for more info via Google. Facebook ultimately is feeding people to Google in this respect. As a side note, Google is now pulling that social proof directly into your search results.. so whatever starts at Facebook truly ends at Big G.
June 24th, 2011 - 15:34
Google is one of those quiet storms that is off in the distance and out of nowhere will come out with something smashing.. Facebook would be hard to even come close to but you never know.. You never know what is going to come out next that could be the next best thing.. Who would have ever thought that Facebook would have grown into such a staple of human existence nowadays..
I bet you if we did a no facebook for a day campaign the earth would stop spinning.. LOL
June 24th, 2011 - 15:30
I can’t agree more with you on that topic Jon,visitors from search engines are more valuable than the ones from social media sites.Facebook will represent a real threat to Google when it creates it’s own search engine.
June 24th, 2011 - 15:25
Jonathan,
I agree with you that Facebook and Google are not real competitors today. However, the reason why I am saying it is slightly different than what you are saying and as a result I suspect that the two will become direct competitors in the near future.
I do think that Facebook does fulfill a search function. Only a different one than Google.
Google lists web content that is long term in nature. They don’t list conversations, they list content. Facebook on the other hand is more based on personal interactions, just like most social media sites. Hence, they are very short term oriented. So far, there is very little overlap. However, Facebook is already starting to move into the direction of a complete platform inclusive of webpages, shopping centers and blogs. And this is where they will become a competitor. I believe that is why the rivalry will grow as time goes on and that is probably also why both are carefully watching each other.
June 24th, 2011 - 15:19
Great article
Since People aren’t ready to buy on Facebook, why would you waste your advertising dollars trying to get them too?
might as well spend or focus on Google and Bing.
June 24th, 2011 - 15:17
Judging by what I’ve been hearing, it appears the crux of the matter is ADVERTISING DOLLARS (or whatever currency) that these two large BUSINESSES are ultimately after. There are quite likely any number of comparisons that could be used to point out similarities (and differences) between Facebook and Google, but so long as they “please” the users of each service, and the advertisers on each, I don’t see much of a “battle” coming.
Now, if Bing’s (Microsoft’s) search were to improve a great deal over Google’s, then there may be need to revisit this observation. A savvy advertiser will spend their money where they believe that they will gain the best ROI, based partially (maybe even mostly) on a particular site’s audience. Much like other media’s advertising…
June 24th, 2011 - 15:44
They surely both want as many advertising dollars as possible, I’m just not convinced that the same advertisers will do well on both platforms. Facebook appeals to a much different kind of market than Google.
June 24th, 2011 - 15:16
Facebook will eventually fizzle out. There are only so many empty headed people in the world to keep pursuing it!
Google is off in a completely different direction adding value to the Internet instead of competing with a lot of frivolous interaction
June 24th, 2011 - 15:06
Actually I think you are right but remember that Google want to create a Social Network and Yahoo/Bing are getting more market share… and also bing its been used to search in facebook.. so is Google Vs Facebook/Bing/Yahoo…
Do you think they are competing..?
Marco.
June 24th, 2011 - 14:55
Great post. Its very hard for Google to compete with Facebook and vice versa. Each has its own unique points. I like Google for its innovation and Facebook for its ease of use in terms of social networking. However, it may not be Facebook nor Google that might be vying for business or stardom in the future..it could be another new site altogether. I mean look at Myspace. It’s almost as good as dead..No one would’ve thought that any site could beat Myspace in a short period of time but Facebook did it just a few years later! I think we just need to watch this space!
June 24th, 2011 - 14:45
I agree Jonathan, I don’t think there is any competition. In terms of longevity, Google in my view has a lead. If I post something on Facebook, it could be lost in the rest of the conversation in minutes. If I optimise my content for Google search, I could put myself in a position to be found for months or years even. Truth is though, to get the best in terms of marketing online today, you have to combine search engine optimisation with social media and so all Google or all Facebook is going to make doing business online harder.
June 24th, 2011 - 15:45
That’s a very interesting point that I had not considered Trish — longevity. Hmm…
June 27th, 2011 - 05:56
I agree with you Trish.. I think that facebook and google are two totally different animals and whilst facebook may well decide to go into search (although I doubt it) and google may well throw more time, effort and money into social networking, I believe that they will not be able to totally crossover. Google is the number one search engine where people go daily to search and to facebook to interact with friends and followers.
June 24th, 2011 - 14:45
Don’t forget the Microsoft is part owner of Facebook (5-10%) due to a $250m preferred stock purchase back in 2007. Bing has recently been playing with integrating likes into it’s “Social Search” and has been gaining on Google in Search market share. There have already been hints of Bing being incorporated into Facebook search and it’s only a matter of time before we see that integrated.
Google has been on a tear trying to find some foothold into social since that investment because they don’t want to give Microsoft that edge without a fight. Facebook has been holding their cards close but Microsoft’s intentions are very clear.
June 24th, 2011 - 14:44
Mr. Leger you make some very good points in your article. I am so sick of hearing about Google and Facebook and how they should be basically killing one another in a business sense. However you are right, and I love the analogy about Best Buy and Wal-Mart, they are both giants in the internet world but they are giants in different sectors of the internet world. I think people just want them to beat up on one another because they want to see one of the two companies fail and they know that there is no one else that could cause either company to fail. Everyone hates the biggest person in the game just human, and business, nature. Great article I love the honesty you bring that you don’t see a lot in online business, or business as a whole.
June 24th, 2011 - 14:43
Interesting to note you have a Facebook like button at the bottom but not a Google +1 button.
Good write-up.
June 24th, 2011 - 14:42
I agree that so far, Google is woefully attempting to compete with Facebook and not the other way around. Yet.
As you pointed out, the potential for direct competition in search from Facebook will be an interesting play, and well worth watching. I think Facebook has far more potential to come up with a very useful subset of search that turns out to be a fierce competitor for Google, than Google ever has of getting Social media. Search function is far more defined and easier to define success in than Social media is – or ever might be… beyond user population numbers. Watch out for Twitter once Apple releases iOS 5…
The wildcard is the other news that the Googsters are under anti-trust investigation. How that might change things will be very interesting.
I disagree that Google is a “great” search engine. Those days are long gone… they are using their platform to skew search results and to highlight their own web properties more and more. They’ve cut backroom deals with big brands to feature them in search results. Like any public traded company they will go as far towards tilting the results in their favor (for more $) as they can… or until they get smacked down.
Don’t be evil, just be corporate. That’s their new mantra.
June 24th, 2011 - 14:32
After Orkut And Buzz it should be obvious they can’t compete with FB, just as Facebook will never dent Google’s search position. They will have to find other ways to expand.
June 24th, 2011 - 14:31
I agree completely, but is this really an issue? I mean, seriously! Sure, Google is trying to get involved more in social marketing, but that’s a far cry from saying that Google and Facebook are going head to head. Might as well say that Yahoo and MySpace are going head to head, because that would make just as little sense.
June 24th, 2011 - 14:29
While I agree with everything you said, oddly the most interesting part to me was this:
“Now that Bing generates 30% of searches in the US, I make sure my sites are optimized for Bing as well.”
What do you do differently to optimize for Bing compared to what you already do to optimize for Google? I’ve always just optimized for Google, and usually the Bing rankings eventually come along for the ride too. Should I be doing something differently to speed my rankings in Bing?
June 24th, 2011 - 14:31
See my previous post. I talk about that very thing.
June 24th, 2011 - 14:25
I think Google is going to put more effort into the social scenario because they know that they are losing a big piece of the pie and they do not like that. Btw Google is killing my sites so I hope Bing get a lot of stronger.
June 24th, 2011 - 14:24
You could also use the analogy of Walmart and Best Buy when contemplating if Facebook will ever get into the search engine business. Imagine if Best Buy decided to become a mega-mart type of retail store and the amount of time/money/effort it would take to even begin to complete with Walmart. The same holds true for Facebook. There is just far too much to be lost vs. the potential gains and I don’t see either making that leap into the unknown.
June 24th, 2011 - 14:22
Well Jon again you are right or at least I also have the same view. In your last post concerning this same topic of (as some media like to put it) the rivalry between Google and Facebook. I have not yet seen or met anybody who does searches on Facebook.
A friend of mine and his family came to visit me from a neighboring country. They stayed with me 3 days and I noticed how they used my internet connection.
1. Their kids and the mother used Facebook to communicate with their friends and relatives.
2. Whenever we had discussions and were at a dilemma, we turn to Google to look for answers. The children(18&20) as well.
3. I can’t remember but I think I wrote about it somewhere. After returning to the country after 5 years in Austria, I asked a friend “How do you guys socialize these days?” His answer was “The only way people socialize these days is ‘Meet You On Facebook’”.
June 24th, 2011 - 14:19
Thanks Jon for your insight. I’ve already created three business pages on Facebook, and I agree with your take about the two business models. People are mostly there to socialize and not to buy.
June 24th, 2011 - 14:18
Jonathon, I think you are exactly right on this. It is easy to get caught up in the idea that everyone is using facebook, so it must be essential for your business. But not everything is going to work in this way, and there are a number of niches that are undeniably lucrative that have little chance of succeeding as a facebook marketing campaign. These will particularly be types of product that concentrate on solving a embarrassing or private problem.
Nobody is going to want their family and friend alerted that they especially “like” a particular premature ejaculation remedy, for instance. Yet this would be, I would presume, a niche that would encourage people in a very definitely buyer-mindset. So it’s probably fair to say that a search engine is going to find monetizing this niche with advertising much easier than a social networking site.
The main danger for Google is the partnership between facebook and Bing. If people come to prefer the search results from Bing, that is the problem, and why, I think Google need to get some of facebook’s audience.
June 24th, 2011 - 14:17
Funny how you chose to discuss this topic today when we had an “all day” debate about it at work – emailing each other stats and news articles about Google vs Facebook. Just forwarded your link to the rest of the team and can’t wait to hear what they have to say…i think you are basically taking the middle ground though – anyway where else can you be at this stage – can’t afford to pick and choose between the two right now. I even wrote and said Facebook maybe the future but Google is right now and they still make billions.
June 24th, 2011 - 14:16
Well stated Jon. I think part of the reason there is so much press highlighting Google’s failed social initiatives, is that SO many people rely on Google for their business, and with each search engine update that adversely impacts these small businesses, along with social (and other) “failures”, they really begin to pile on.
Facebook is currently the “darling” of the Internet. This seems to be a normal progression for Internet companies.
As seen with LinkedIn’s IPO last month, people are hungry for new trendy investments. Whenever the dust settles from a Facebook IPO, it’s fair to suspect the critic and cynics will rise against Facebook as well.
Besides that, making Google and Facebook competitors is good press fodder.
Have a good weekend.
-Travis
June 24th, 2011 - 14:16
Hi Jonathan,
You raise some very terrific points. Interestingly, I think that many people already know that Google and Facebook aren’t in the same markets. The problem is that a large group of these folks wants there to be a rivalry when there really isn’t. Then again, some of Google’s former acquisitions and past actions do leave room for some ambiguity. But again I totally agree with you search and social are different and serve two totally different functions.
On a side note the argument that bothers me more than people comparing apples to oranges in Google/Facebook is this argument that SEO has somehow been displaced by social media. That one really irks me for the simple fact that it’s purely academic and has very little bearing in the real world of marketing and return on marketing spend.
Plus, most people that actually use social media and seo for campaigns will tell you that the two actually go hand in hand. Anyhow, enough of my ranting. Great post man. BTW, lovin the new Best Spinner 3.0+, especially the comparison feature-great work.
June 24th, 2011 - 14:15
I agree with you Jon to a certain extent, especially the part where they are both growing. That clearly shows that one’s growth is not at the expense of the other.
However, Facebook’s hook-up with Bing is telling though. Facebook may not be able to develop a superior search technology but they are certainly going around that by partnering with Bing.
And you’ve got to admit that when we do research on the things we want to buy, the opinions of those in our social circles matter.
There is one area though that I think they will never compete on… the basic informational search for knowledge. That (I think) will be Google’s stronghold for a long time to come.
June 24th, 2011 - 14:11
Well, I read this article b/c your email said it was interesting. In the end, you said nothing concrete, just went back and forth… and said you’d be watching. Ok, so…
But then I wondered, why are you writing this? Because you’re an expert in the field of search, or social media???
No.
From what I recall, you make software, and occasionally offer an ebook like the Paypal version you pumped up the other day…
Kind of a yawner, Jonathan.
June 24th, 2011 - 14:09
couldn’t agree with you more. Yes, they are remotely competitors, but serve different basic functions.
June 24th, 2011 - 14:07
I’ve been watching my sites go through some strange moves over the last six months, an I believe Google is in real trouble. They need us to search there? I think all social media is starting to really kick there in all areas, and this worry’s them.
June 24th, 2011 - 14:07
Hi Jon,
While I take on board the FB/Google Wars scenario let’s face it nobody is going to come out a ‘loser’ – but talking of losers is the fact that Bing is the SE that Facebook use a reason that Bill Gates sleeps easier at night?
AND is Yahoo now Bing? Or vice versa?
June 24th, 2011 - 14:06
In marketing they call it indirect competition.
June 24th, 2011 - 14:03
Excellent explanation about the differences between Google vs Facebook. Never looked at it that way. Very good article, than you.