Facebook Beats Google in Directing Web Portal Traffic
Some experts believe that social media has the potential to direct more web traffic than search engines as people increasingly receive their information based on recommendations from friends and family members. The facts bear this out: a recent study by Compete Inc. reveals that Facebook bypassed Google last December to become the main source of traffic to major portals such as Yahoo, MSN and AOL.
"People are spending less time navigating the Internet on their own and are now navigating the Internet based on their friends' recommendations or their friends' activities" notes Dave Yovanno, chief executive of Gigya. Inc. It is no coincidence that this news comes on the heels of Google's announcement to enter the social-media world with its Buzz application.
Part of Facebook's success has to do with the enormous growth the site has experienced. Facebook claims to have 400 million active members, 225 million added in the last year alone.
