Facebook Logo (Photo : impulse3.net)
Facebook's mobile app now uses Google App indexing to capture Web traffic from the search engine giant. This search engine optimization (SEO) will allow Android smartphone users to access limited Facebook App content through search results. The social media and search engine giants' joining forces will provide more content to Google users, while driving free traffic to Facebook.
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) broke the news on November 16, Monday. It reported that Facebook started allowing Google App Indexing on Friday.
In 2007 Facebook first allowed Google to index some content. The social network's profile pages were made available to search engines including Google. Then in 2011 it opened up Facebook Comments to Google.
Facebook's new Google App indexing support does not add more content to the search engine. However, the goal is to improve the mobile experience by offering Facebook content through Google Search.
The upgrade means that when Google Search users click on a Facebook listing, a web page with the content will not always be displayed. In some cases Google will load the content from the Facebook App instead.
The content will be limited to the content that Facebook has opened up to Google in the past. That includes Facebook Pages, public profiles, Groups, and Events, but does not include public status updates and personal posts.
Google is already a leader on the Web, but its supercomputers are unable to automatically "crawl" and organize data in apps, according to the WSJ. Thus, it must get the app developers' green light so it can access such information.
The Facebook-Google collaboration could also benefit the world's largest social network. Facebook for Android users who use the Google app might stay in the social media mobile app.
WSJ reported the news rather than Facebook because it is more about app indexing than the tech companies teaming up, according to Search Engine Land. If other publishers get on board it could be a huge win for Google App indexing.
