Facebook's Graph Search creates real business value for likes and check-ins on the social media site, according to Clara Shih at Advertising Age. Graph Search provides results to users based on their friends' preferences, which is likely to carry significant weight with searchers as studies indicate that friends' endorsements are highly influential in decision making. Businesses must first have a Facebook page to appear in Graph Search results, and will see their search rankings improve with increased social support.

If your customers are on Facebook, you cannot ignore Graph Search and its implications for social interaction by brands. Over half the population of North America have a Facebook account, and if these users begin to bypass Google and other traditional search engines in favour of Graph Search, then optimizing your website will no longer be enough. Marketers must now optimize their Facebook pages with the same dedication they do their websites, and Facebook optimization is going to include audience engagement.

Read the full article at AdAge.com.