There is a new term… Social Search… being dropped in conversations concerning the direction people see Google+ going.  This new way of describing the next step in the evolution of social networking is starting to catch on since it does make sense.

So what is Social Search?

Good question.  The best way to answer this question is to take a look at the climate of social networking today.

The world of social networking is really the world of Consumers.  Yes, there is no getting around it.  Even if you are out in your social space to keep in touch with your grand kids you at some point will click on the big button at the top of the monitor’s screen..or the icon on your iPad and smartphone… labled Google.

Let’s take for example, if you were looking for a recipe for Buttermilk Pie you would hit Bing, Internet Explorer or whatever search engine you like, but they all feed off Google.  Why not?   Google is THE search engine that has it all.

This search you made makes you a consumer.  Now this is a good thing because without you being a consumer the internet would not be anything like it is today.  Without the consumers businesses would not be paying Google a lot of money to be part of your serach and without businesses producing the revenue for the internet economy the internet would be nothing but a cesspool of spammers and a huge TrollFest.  But let’s get back to the search for the Buttermilk Pie recipe.

You are not just looking for a recipe..you are looking for THE recipe…the one that fits your needs has to have a pitch of nutmeg and cinnamon.  But wait..when you make that search Google gives you fifty thousand or more other links to recipes and other related items on how to make a buttermilk pie.  Which one of these links is THE link to THE recipe for THE perfect buttermilk pie?

Real People Know How to be Social

Well, there could be a dozen or so recipes who all have an interesting approach to making that perfect buttermilk pie, but which one is THE best?  Now this is where Social Search begins and is an example of how social networking will be done in the future.

Along with your search results for the perfect buttermilk pie Google also provides links to real live people on Google+ who are talking about the recipe they use to make the perfect buttermilk pie.  These links to people’s G+ posts are what you are wanting since they will easily answer your question on which recipe is the best.

How smart was it of Google to offer up the conversations people are having on buttermilk pies.  More than smart it is Brilliant!

Now what happens next is you are going to find one or two of these people on G+ have a compatible personality.  They talk about a lot of things you are interested in..Even a few of them may live in your region or state or even down the street.  It is this interaction that came from a simple search of Google for something of interest that defines the term Social Search.

Big Dogs of Social Don’t Get It

As the big dogs of social network site battle with what to do with the huge volume of spam and the negativity they breed from blindly gathering up trillions of people to their sites to participate in an online mosh pit, the members of those sites set out to get away from that mess.  Many of them will just come online to find the things they are interested in.  Again, these freelancers will use the search engine to find what interests them and again will be drawn in to Google+ from the links to G-Plusser’s posts.

Social Search Will Rule

Another example of Social Search is when someone is looking for a good restaurant or venue to have dinner or an event.  Yes, most people are going to hit Yelp or Zagat to read reviews.  But more and more are going to go to the G+ posts to find out what the Plussers think of a place.  Eventually, people will just search Google for people to talk to on Google+.

People are now using the search engines to find other people and find out what they have to say.  This is where social networking will be changed to Social Search.

You may want to keep an eye on conversations about Social Search since more than likely the converations will show you where social networking..and the tool Social Media..is heading.

It’s now all about Social Ya’ll.  Let me know how I can help.