Using only information that Facebook owns (what you have uploaded to the site), users will be able to search through multiple profiles at one time, rather than searching through individual profiles one by one, a painstaking task.
So if you are thinking of having a gathering and don't know who shares your interest in Dungeons and Dragons, Graph Search can help you. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg used the example of "friends who live in Palo Alto and like Game of Thrones", but whatever your desired search, it appears Graph Search can help you find what you want.
Zuckerberg says that Graph Search will become the "third pillar" of Facebook, after timeline and the news feed, and this move will be seen as an instant reaction to the news that the site lost 600,000 users in December 2012. A richer, more thorough search tool will enable users to connect with more people, off-setting the fear that user growth has stagnated and that people's average friend numbers are going down.
How can Graph Search be used to benefit clubs and companies, or individuals? Well, the key, as ever, is in having engaging content. Essentially, something that receives lots of likes and interactions will be most heavily favoured by the search. It is no good just being online now. You must go social and you MUST do it well. In the same way someone might search 'Mexican restaurants my friends like', someone will be able to search 'Sports teams my friends like', or individual players and venues. You need to ensure you are on this list, and that you have good content to keep your visibility high.
This move from Facebook is likely to be followed by the other search engines, so your presence alone is no longer enough. Graph Search is still in the Beta stage, and you can sign up for the waiting list here: http://www.facebook.com/about/graphsearch. For now though, nothing really changes. We feel whelmed.
For any advice on your use of Facebook, contact sarah.griffiths@sotic.co.uk