Report: Facebook Working to Improve Search

Ever try searching for something on Facebook and get a mess of results that are all wrong? Well, you're not alone, and Facebook is reportedly looking to change that.

Facebook has hired former Google engineer Lars Rasmussen, who co-founded Google Maps, to lead a team of about two dozen engineers tasked with improving the social network's search engine, according to a Bloomberg Businessweek report that cited people familiar with the project. Their goal is to make it easier for users to sort through the massive amount of content Facebook members have uploaded, from status updates to photos to videos. They also aim to help users find other information from all over the Web that people "like" using Facebook's thumbs-up button.

With an improved search engine, Facebook users might be able to search for, say, the most-liked restaurants in their area. The social network could also begin selling relevant keyword ads to display along with search results (like Google and Microsoft already do).

Facebook likely won't gain search dominance any time soon over Google, which currently controls 67 percent of the U.S. search market and has the technology to crawl the entire Web, Bloomberg Businessweek noted. But revamping its search function could allow Facebook to get a cut of the $15 billion search advertising market. This is a huge opportunity for the social network, especially as it prepares to go public and faces pressure from shareholders to maximize its options for monetization.

A Facebook spokesperson declined to comment on the report when contacted by PCMag. But, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg might have recently hinted that his company is aiming to change its search engine. Zuckerbeg last month posted a photo of his desk (above) and a sign reading "Stay focused & keep shipping." Next to the sign is a computer screen showing a Facebook page with a large white space across the top that appears to be an elongated search bar.

At this point, Facebook search is powered by Microsoft's Bing. In October 2007, Microsoft in Facebook.