On your smartphone, do you check Facebook in your app or do you type “Facebook” in your search bar every time you want to see the latest social news? As smartphone usage continues to grow, users are increasingly spending more of their time on social apps. Google recognizes this challenge and needs to maintain their dominance in search. So, how?
The Wall Street Journal recently reported Facebook is allowing Google to index its app data. By Facebook granting access to Google App Indexing, Google enables searchers to move seamlessly between mobile search and their Facebook app. Thus, Google is providing its users with a better experience, and, in return, Facebook benefits from gaining additional Google traffic.
But, what does this mean? It means mobile Google search queries on Androids (only, for now) will send users to content within their Facebook for Android app. The “deep links” on the search engine results pages will take users directly to their Facebook app with just one click. However, don’t worry about Facebook users. Your private information on your page will only be shown to logged-in users who have permission to view the information, but public profile data is being indexed by Google. Thus, your hotel or local business’ public information will now be available to Google mobile searchers in the Facebook app with just one click. Social posts from your business will continue to show up more and more in search as a result.
This new relationship between Facebook and Google may encourage other app publishers to open up to Google App Indexing. Thus, the experience from mobile search to social apps is well on its way to becoming seamless and only increases the SEO importance of social media.
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