Meta
- Search is no longer a platform, it’s a feature.
- Users want answers, not necessarily options.
- Google will not be replaced by a copycat. It will be chipped away at by new, novel alternatives and user dispersion across other channels. (and maybe by antitrust)
- Meta continues to reduce reliance on other companies wherever it can. The true realization of this will be a hardware platform, likely in the XR space.
- For brands / creators, having your content on the web—preferably on a platform you own—where it can be crawled is once again the path to relevance. (see: Gwern)
- Discovery
- Utility
Meta is developing an AI search engine, to be embedded in its Meta AI chatbot. The company has reportedly been indexing the web for at least eight months.Meta AI currently uses Google and Bing’s search engines when it fetches users answers about current events, financial markets, and sports.
This highlights a few things:
Meta’s plan for growth among younger demos:
Surface content like an entertainment app (social media is basically TV now).
Do the classic “Meta experience upgrade” on things like marketplaces, forums (Groups), and events.
Network effect + massive infrastructure = advantage
Ben Thompson on Meta:
Market = time & attention
Differentiation = horizontal services that capture more time and attention than anyone
This is what makes the Zuck’s Bucks machine run.
It also means whatever captures attention and increases time spent gets rewarded.
Imagine this but in a pair of glasses like Meta’s Orion:
The future of watching football is here 🤯
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) December 2, 2022
(via nazwif/TikTok) pic.twitter.com/5tskjSFLFf
Sensors will only proliferate (ambient computing!) creating even richer augmented experiences.
Meta is working on “New Brand [Safety &] Suitability Controls”.
The big one I know some clients will love:
We’re testing the ability for businesses to turn off comments on ads
There is research that suggests ads with comments perform better (social proof?), but some industries and brands attract a lot of negative comments and/or don’t have the bandwidth to actively moderate and engage. Control on this capability would be nice.