Facebook versus Google Web Traffic

Posted: April 6th, 2010 | Author: admin | Filed under: Internet | No Comments »

A recent study showed that Facebook surpassed Google in Web Traffic especially in the United States of America. In 2010 Google and Facebook web traffic combined totaled to 14% of all of US page visits. That is by far a big percentage considering how many pages and blogs are written, published and viewed.

Facebook visits came at number one with most of traffic coming to this social networking site, which has become very popular in just about two years. While Google came second for the first time in more than ten years. This might not come as a big surprise since in my opinion, people in general have changed their views about the internet and about how they use the internet.

The moment this news broke, Internet geeks started saying that social networking websites should be the place to advertise.
Facebook has to find out how to generate revenue from this web-traffic power as a part of a monetization strategy which will help it survive and grow. As social networks become more powerful sources of traffic, will advertisers shift more of their investment into the social realm and away from search-based keywords?

This is a very important question, and has to be studied very carefuly. Think carefully with me, what are people doing on the search websites such as google? Looking for information, seeking knowledge, trying to find deals or offers. On Google the visitor is receptive, he is looking to find something and click on it. That will sure translate into outcome once you land on the proper advertisment.

Now look at the other picture; Imagine those people who are posting stuff in social sites, sharing videos and music, commenting on others photos and trips. All such activities put the user in an imperviable mode, the user is fully engaged in producing his own stuff and not willing to change his mode into a receptive one.

On social networking sites such as facebook or twitter, people are spending time Blogging, Updating posts and twittering. While Social network sites as driving more visitors, they are not your target audience as an advertiser. Visitors of facebook probably spend more time on the site, but they are not part of a Quality traffic. It will make a lot of study to change the mentality of the facebook users to start seeing those ads in the bulk of information being displayed for them.

In summary, social networking sites will not replace search sites as a place for advertising.

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