Facebook Opens Public Listings to Search Engines - Plans to Integrate Microsoft Search

Last night Facebook quietly opened it’s public Groups, Wall Posts, Events and Discussion topics to search engines for indexing purposes. This move converts Facebook’s consumer-generated treasure of categorized content into a search engine optimization source and Facebook expects it to increase traffic from organic search.

Facebook, ever privacy-concerned, notes that only public groups and events will be indexed, and it is not yet clear through the Facebook press how much personal data will also be open to indexing.  Last summer, a survery indicated that Facebook users are suprisingly open about listing personal information and data on their profiles, such as likes, dislikes, employeer data, home addresses and schedules. All of this information is available to their added friends,  or even public depending on privacy settings for each user.

What does it Mean?

Opening the social platform for search is a primary move towards higher monetization for Facebook, search has proven to be a powerful vehicle for advertising and sponsorship. The mother-load of consumer-driven  frequently-updated, relevant content contributes to Social Network’s ability to contend in the search space.

MySpace’s integrated search engine, powered by Google, accounts for more searches than eBay, Craigslist, Facebook AND Amazon combined. Facebook is beginning to look around with eyes wide open at its information ecosystem, with plans to integrate Microsoft’s Live Search engine by the end of 2008.

More Info: Marketing Vox also has an article up with more insight into Facebooks Move

Erika, Technology Goddess: More Social Media News