Will social win out over search?

Big, conversation-changing idea from Tac Anderson over at New Comm Biz in a post called 3 Reasons Why Social Media is Killing Search: 

"Bit.ly and Google both have the same purpose: deliver you to a useful website. That’s it. The difference is that one is performed by search queries (and) the other is initiated by a recommendation."

Social networking has fast been gaining ground on search. For a few days in December it actually beat it. Our wandering curiosity may be being replaced by an appreciation of good curating. After all, why would we dig around for the next great idea, beautiful thing, innovative stain fighter, first date, etc., when those things are being fed to us by our trusted network?   

Anderson attributes social’s emerging supremecy to three things: 

1. Faster news.  Think where you went when you last heard office chatter of the latest breaking news (politicians philandering, planes plummenting, people perservering)? I went to Twitter. Most of the news sites are 30 minutes behind. Google just started time-based search. Those gossipy little follows of mine on Twitter always seem to have it first. 


2. Better filter. You find the best stuff people have read on social; you find everything on search 


3. Faster innovation. Social developers just seem more responsive to user needs and behaviors 

Comments

[Alaina Sheer (Cement Marketing)]

Social is search.

That's the key. Google is now factoring in Bitly's and TinyURLs into search results because of the benefits you list.

The two - in our eyes - are one in the same and you both feed each other. Which means it's good to be a firm meeting our client's search and social needs.

Awesome post Leigh, thanks!

[Advergirl (Leigh)]

Thanks for the comments. Check out this story, too, when you get a chance - http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/02/14/BUU51C0AMN.DTL

Agreed that search and social have different roles, but they tend to compete for the same budget - so, I think the volume/behavior questions are really interesting ones.

[Nate Riggs]

I have agree with Andrea's comment in that social there's not really a competition here. Social and search are becoming one single entity. The nature of social networks and user generated information has forced search to evolve. That will continue throughout the next few years...

[Helene]

Hmmm... I think Anderson is missing a key point in his comparison. Search is a "pull" technology initiated by through an inquiry request to discover. Social Media is a "push" technology initiated by a user who wishes to share a discovery with others.

Now social search that's another story ...

[AndreaVLewis]

Interesting. I always thought of Social Media as a medium that incorporates search properties into itself. Providing a sort of mash-up of both Social and Search into one cohesive entity. My thinking is that eventually they will blend into one as we move forward into the digital landscape.

Nice post Leigh! =]