Facebook’s new Graph Search is very different from Google search. With Graph Search, you can combine keyword searches with friends who’ve shared content on Facebook related to that search.
For example, here’s a search of friends who like The Ellie Fund and live in Boston:
Graph Search also allows people to discover your organization through various different keyword / network search combinations:
Facebook Page SEO isn’t New
Google has been indexing Facebook Pages for quite some time now, so Facebook Page SEO (search engine optimization) isn’t anything new.
Both Google’s and Facebook’s search algorithms consider your Page name, category, vanity URL and keywords within your About tab.
What is new is the combination of keyword, category and connection (as shown in the examples above) – and the way Graph Search suggestions influence how searches are conducted.
Eight Steps to Optimizing Your Nonprofit Facebook Page for Graph Search
Here are eight steps to optimizing your Facebook Page for both Google and Facebook’s Graph search:
1. Tweak Your Page Category
Make sure you’ve selected the best possible category for your Page. You can edit your category by going into your Basic Information admin panel, as shown below:
2. Tweak Your Page Sub-categories
If you have a Facebook Place (local Place or Business), you can add up to three sub-categories. These can be added / updated within your Basic Information admin panel (as shown above).
3. Complete your Address
Graph search will allow users to search for local nonprofits their friends like, so make sure your address is complete and current.
4. Complete Your About Section
The information you share in your “About” section will help people find your Page in search. Particularly if you put keywords at the beginning of specific fields.
Do not start off with “We are a 501(c)3 organization…” People don’t search for 501(c)3 when they’re looking for services and resources for breast cancer patients.
5. Tag Your Photos
Photos are a primary content type displayed in Graph Search results. Make sure you tag each photo with your Page name and any location associated with the photo.
6. Pay Attention to Photo Descriptions
Guess what keywords are in the description of each photo this search result?
7. Create a Username
If you haven’t done so already, create a custom URL (username) for your Page that includes the name of your organization. This will improve your SEO on both Facebook and Google.
8. Continue Creating Killer Content
Remember, like Google, Facebook wants to display the best results at the top of a search. And parsing out great content on Facebook has always been done by looking at how much people have talked about that specific photo, video or text update.
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Great tips John.. I think more than anything Graph Search will show business owners they haven’t done a great job of filling out their pages and thinking with SEO in mind.
Which is funny because Google has been indexing Facebook Pages for a while.
[...] John Haydon’s tips on getting ready for Graph Search [...]
Thanks for this epic post, i have used some of this suggestion on my pages.
Thanks for the comment!
Terrific tips! Thanks. One final tip….. make sure your FB page links frequently back to your own website! FB page views are always limited in value. They should be a traffic tool, not the end point of a surfer’s journey.
Only inbound links to your Facebook Page help SEO.
Love your tips! Even though I know that Facebook is saying it’s social search- you still need to have those key words in there!
Yup – for both Google and Facebook.
“With Graph Search, you combine keyword searches with friends who’ve shared content on Facebook related to that search.”
That’s not the only way Graph Search functions, right? I mean, you don’t have to always factor your friends in to your search query. Also you can factor in people who live in your hometown, say, or have a common interest, but aren’t necessarily your friends.
(Sorry to split hairs…)
That’s right, you *can* combine the two. Post edited. Thanks!
[...] See on http://www.johnhaydon.com [...]
[...] Haydon offers great tips for prepping your organization’s Facebook Page to take advantage of Graph [...]
[...] See on http://www.johnhaydon.com [...]
I think website is the right choice.
[...] 5. Eight Steps to Prepare Your Facebook Page for Graph Search [...]
Google’s search algorithms also consider the address of the Facebook Business page. I’ve seen a lot of Facebook pages at the top of the Google rankings and these pages are not optimized.
[...] for this article include Huffington Post, John Haydon, Facebook, [...]
[...] See on http://www.johnhaydon.com [...]
[...] First, if you own a business and DO NOT have a Facebook Page – Now is the time to create one! Follow these steps to optimize it. [...]
[...] evolves, the opportunity to gain new business through social media is huge. Take a look at how to optimize your business page for Facebook Graph Search. Also don’t count out Pinterest and Instagram to promote beautiful photos of your destination or [...]
[...] Source: Eight Steps to Prepare Your Facebook Page for Graph Search [...]
[...] evolves, the opportunity to gain new business through social media is huge. Take a look at how to optimize your business page for Facebook Graph Search. Also don’t count out Pinterest and Instagram to promote beautiful photos of your destination or [...]
[...] Source: Eight Steps to Prepare Your Facebook Page for Graph Search [...]
[...] evolves, the opportunity to gain new business through social media is huge. Take a look at how to optimize your business page for Facebook Graph Search. Also don’t count out Pinterest and Instagram to promote beautiful photos of your destination or [...]
[...] evolves, the opportunity to gain new business through social media is huge. Take a look at how to optimize your business page for Facebook Graph Search. Also don’t count out Pinterest and Instagram to promote beautiful photos of your destination or [...]