Local businesses are often forgotten on large-scale social media platforms. However, Facebook is focusing a new app on them designed to generate more customers walking through their doors. It’s one of the social media stories in the news this week.
Google is Adding Celebrity Videos to Make Search Results “Fun”
In a way to make search “fun,” Google is partnering with celebrities such as Will Ferrell and Tracee Ellis Ross to offer video results to common search phrases. For instance, when a user types in the search query, “Can Will Ferrell play the drums?”, a video of Will Ferrell will show up in the search result where he will answer the question. Celebrities will have the opportunity to review each item and record the appropriate response. This feature is currently only available via a mobile app, but they have plans to have it available on the desktop. Google is using this project to test how influencers affect search results. Although currently, they are using traditional celebrities for the video responses the plan is to expand into significant influencers in any search category.
@Facebook has renamed their Events app to #FacebookLocal. They are now showing listings for restaurants, entertainment, and other businesses within the general vicinity of the user. Click To Tweet
Facebook Creates Local App Targeting Small Business
Facebook’s new app, Facebook Local, is their further attempt to dominate local business advertising. Previously their Events app, they are now showing listings for restaurants, entertainment, and other businesses within the general vicinity of the user. Each business will also have recommendations given by the users’ friends. These enhanced local business listings are designed to improve customer sales. A few years ago, Google changed its search algorithms to provide search results based on a user’s location. This new entry by Facebook seems to be another good idea to target that market.
YouTube Has Competition Eyeing It
YouTube remains King of Video, but Facebook has created new competition with the introduction of “Facebook Watch.” Statistically, video viewing is doubling every year on YouTube, but Facebook believes it can become the #1 service in the category because of its 2 billion monthly active users versus YouTube’s 1.5 billion. Facebook also has more real profile data on each user versus YouTube which positions it to be able to serve more relevant videos and increase views. Users also spent an average of 35 minutes per day on Facebook versus 17 minutes on YouTube.
We know social media changes every day, so be sure to stay up to date with all of the latest trends by following Katie Wagner Social Media on Facebook.
