Search traffic down, Facebook search queries up

A growing user base and a page redesign that gives search more prominence has seen the number of search queries on Facebook increase significantly over the last month, according to new figures out this week from comScore.

by Helen Leggatt

Between January and February this year, search queries on Facebook increased 10% from 395 million to 436 million searches. Many put this down to the social network's recent redesign, which saw the search box moved to center stage, coupled with its burgeoning user base.

The new figures put Facebook at 18th in comScore's rankings - way below the likes of Google and Yahoo. Nonetheless, overall Internet search traffic fell by 4% from January with Google down 4%, Yahoo 6% and Microsoft 3% so Facebook's increase is made all the more significant.

Also of interest is Bing's slight rise in search traffic of 0.2%. Could this be as a result of its partnership with Facebook? After all, a Facebook search now pretty much equals a Bing search plus, if a search isn't satisfied on Facebook they are sent off-site to the Bing platform.

Search traffic down, Facebook search queries up

A growing user base and a page redesign that gives search more prominence has seen the number of search queries on Facebook increase significantly over the last month, according to new figures out this week from comScore.

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