Recently, the search engine Bing has integrated the account information of Facebook users into it’s search to create a search experience that is quite unique on the Internet today. While Bing has lagged behind the big boy Google since its launch, the link with social media boss could certainly help it rank the way it wants. True pioneers in the concept of social research, Bing shows the Facebook ”likes” on the users’ own social circle as the web search results. Although there is much debate as to whether this approach really makes a search engine stronger and more reliable, the real reason is a matter of preference and philosophy.
Social Searching: Facebook and Bing Hook Up
Bing’s concept behind its mechanism of social search is that humans can make “better decisions”, being more aware of the social activity of friends and social interests. For example, Bing can now be used to find the best veggie burger in your area and see what your friends have to say about the selection. If you know that John really loves a hamburger place and Michel likes the burger at a different location, you can decide which friends to trust more and go with that one. Well, maybe this is not the idea behind the new social Bing, but may be it will work this way. This approach fits your experience in social search to look around your social circle. The idea is that if your friends and family prefer something, then you probably will too. This approach can do make the search experience in the internet world feel more personal and comfortable.
While Google has also incorporated some aspects of social media in its search mechanism, social searching does not seem to be the central weight age in the algorithms devised by Google. In fact, Google’s philosophy on search and the Internet seems almost contrary to what Bing has worked out recently with Facebook. When Facebook and Microsoft appear to approve of the philosophy that the experience on the Internet should be linked to a user’s community and personal interests, Google seems to think otherwise. Google search strategy is based on having as much information as possible on screen. This enables the user’s to have their own take on the options it provides. Google also shows the results based on not only what the people you know say, but also on what experts and most of the Internet users have to say.
For some, the search strategy of social Bing may seem to limit their Internet experience. For others, the results of Google look like to be meant only for geeks and they believe that the results are robotic. There are arguments for both sides. Although it may be comforting to hear a place, thing or an idea that is supported by a friend, but the things approved by an authority are more reliable and accurate. The question of the “right” method can’t be answered for the general audience. Rather, it is recommendable to use both the methods in conjunction and give weight age to a particular method based on the search topic.