14 DAY TRIAL // Bing has been flirting with social networks for some time now, especially with Facebook and Twitter, but with the latest move from Microsoft, users get to watch the very big bang of the social search universe unfold.
Customers can sign into Facebook from Bing and get immediate access to an enhanced search experience that’s tapping the data and relationship connections on the world’s top social network.
It’s clear that Microsoft believes there’s more to search and query results than what the technology alone can provide. Is it a fair assumption?
Well, time will tell, but for the start it does appear that the Redmond company is investing heavily in making Bing not just a social decision search engine.
“Bing is bringing the collective IQ of the Web together with the opinions of the people you trust most, to bring the “Friend Effect” to search,” revealed Yusuf Mehdi, Corporate Vice President, Microsoft.
“You can receive personalized search results based on the opinions of your friends by simply signing into Facebook. New features make it easier to see what your Facebook friends “like” across the Web, incorporate the collective know-how of the Web into your search results, and begin adding a more conversational aspect to your searches.”
The software giant notes that no less than 90% of people surveyed by Bing and Impulse Research turn to family and friends before making a decision, with 8 out of 10 survey participants revealing that said decision will be delayed unless they can get advice.
According to Microsoft, over 50% of users believe that their friend’s “Likes” will contribute to them making a better decision based on search results.
So in a sense, the company is simply giving people what they want by marrying Bing search results and Facebook “Likes.”
Make sure to check out the video embedded below in order to get an idea of how Bing has evolved with the integration of Facebook data before actually trying it.
Here is a list of the new social search capabilities that Facebook has enabled on Bing according to Mehdi:
“- Liked” Results, Answers & Sites: Instantly see which stories, content and sites your Facebook friends have “liked,” from news stories, celebrities, movies, bands, brands and more.
- Personalized Results: Bing delivers a more personalized search experience by using the interests shown by your friends. Now you won’t miss potentially interesting information that may have been buried deep within the search results
- Integration of Social Messages: Bing not only shows you what your friends like and share online, but also what major brands and companies are saying.
- Conversational Search: Many decisions require a discussion with your friends. By combining Facebook’s communication tools with Bing, search can become conversational and turn decision-making on Bing from a passive experience to an active dialogue.
- Expanded Facebook Profile Search: Now, when searching for a specific person, Bing will provide a more in-depth bio snapshot, such as location, education, and employment details to help you find who you’re looking for more quickly.
- Travel Wish List & Friends Who Live Here: The Bing Travel Wish List allows you to compare trips with friends on Facebook, suggest new destinations, and learn more about a location on Bing Travel.
- Flight Deals: Finding a great flight deal doesn’t have to be an all-consuming quest. If you’ve liked a city on Bing, we will send great deals on flights directly to your Facebook feed.
- Shared Shopping Lists: Never shop alone again! With Bing, you can build a shopping list and share, compare and discuss it with your friends on Facebook.”