The future of “Likes” and Search

We’ve all seen Facebook’s “Like” button, and by now, it’s clear that Facebook wants in on the search engine game. Can Facebook really become a player in the search space? I think it can, but not in the typical sense of search engine queries.

I don’t think Facebook will ever be a destination where users will turn to conduct deep/ thorough research. That said, if I want to get an unfiltered review or something in that vein, Facebook would absolutely be a resource. As John Greer points out, Facebook is a goldmine of user preference data that can only enhance personalized search. It holds the power to customize search results in ways that Google will never be able to touch, but that is not always what users are looking for. I know that I wouldn’t always want to see query results based on my self-selected batch of “likes.” What if I want to find a new product or expand my horizons…Facebook could hold me back.

The combination of Facebook community-centric results and search engines’ more biased approach to results would afford users a great mix of information. Do you think Facebook can encroach on traditional search engines? Would you Facebook it?