There is no arguing the fact that social networking is here to stay. If you’re like me you subscribe to multiple networks, some, like Facebook for your personal interests and others ,like LinkedIn, for your professional interests. The problem for many of us, besides finding time to actively manage our social universe, is finding ways to efficiently leverage them as both an information resource and for those of us in marketing, a marketing channel– but that’s about to change.
In the not so distant future search engines will all deploy applications (hooks) into social networks that allow you to search your trusted network of friends and business colleagues for recommendations regarding businesses, products, services and more. Consider a scenario where you needed to evaluate potential streaming video hosting partners. Sure you could use Google or Yahoo! to find and review the multitude of businesses returned in the SERPS, which is fine, but time consuming. Additionally, if you’re like me, you would reach out to a few friends and colleagues to see if any of them could provide a recommendation to which you may find yourself making a more then a few calls before you get a recommendation.
Now imagine a scenario where instead of searching the Web for businesses that provide the service you seek, you could query your professional network to see if anyone in your network has a relationship with, or recommendation for, a company who provides the service. Assuming your professional network is comprised of people who are in a similar profession or industry as you, the chances are pretty high someone will. Think of it. Easily accessible and acquired recommendations from your trusted network of friends and colleagues for goods and services relevant to your world, your needs. That’s trusted search.
Trusted Search will become a core feature of the social network experience and in the process revolutionize search advertising. Not only will marketers be able to target based on keywords, geography etc., they will be able to target a group of people who all share common interests. More on this in my next post. For now. I’d like to hear your thoughts on trusted search. Where you feel it is currently, where its headed etc.
