Microsoft today announced an expansion of the social features in Bing:
Decisions just got easier with the expansion of social features in Bing, the decision engine from Microsoft. By bringing together the power of search and Facebook, people can receive personalized search results based on the opinions of their friends.
Microsoft data shows that nearly half of people say seeing their friend’s “likes” within search results could help them make better decisions; and who better than a group of trusted friends to guide everyday decision making? Bing’s new features make it easy to see what people’s Facebook friends “like” across the Web, incorporate the collective IQ of the Web into their search results, and conduct conversational searches. We’re marrying fact-based search results with your friends’ street smarts -- combining the best data available on the Web with the ability to quickly gut check it with people you trust.
A list of the key new features launching today are below.
Improved “Liked” Results, Answers & Sites: Instantly see which stories, content and sites your Facebook friends have “liked,” from news stories, celebrities, movies, bands, brands and more. Bing shows the faces of up to three of your friends that like a search result, offering a visual, virtual seal of approval from your trusted social network.
Popular Sites: Bing shows collective “like” results related to trending topics, articles, and Facebook fan pages, to find the most popular content. When you search for a recipe site, for example, you’ll see specific articles people have liked on that site to help you cut through the clutter and find recommendations from others – both your friends and the broader Facebook community.
Expanded Facebook Profile Search: Now when searching for a specific person, Bing will provide a more in-depth bio snapshot, such as location, education, and employment details to help you find who you’re looking for more quickly.
Flight Deals: Bing will send you great deals on flights directly to your Facebook feed, for cities you’ve liked on Bing Travel.
Friends Who Live Here: Traveling to a new city and looking for recommendations on where to eat or stay? Easily find and consult friends who live or have lived near a destination.
Shared Shopping Lists: You can build a shopping list and share, compare and discuss it with your friends on Facebook.