Are you looking for creative ways to discover what your readers’ interests are?

Imagine having access to a search engine that tells you exactly what your readers want to learn more about.

In this article, I’ll show you four ways you can use Facebook Graph Search to create content that your audience truly wants.

Before we begin, here’s a quick overview on what Facebook Graph Search is…

What is Facebook Graph Search?

When Facebook Graph Search Beta launched last year, it allowed users to explore content their friends shared on Facebook in an entirely new way. Users could enter a phrase such as “My friends that live in San Diego that like pilates” and Facebook would return results that fit that specific criteria.

Unlike Google or Bing which provide users results from all across the Web, Facebook Graph Search returned results from content shared only on Facebook. These results were limited to three categories: likes, interests and activities.

Facebook’s search engine provided brands an opportunity to maximize their visibility and as a result, inspired Page Admins to invest time in Facebook Graph Search Page Optimization.

Now, Facebook allows you to search for old posts you made on your account, posts your friends shared with you and on public Pages. When I heard the announcement last month, that’s when a light bulb went off in my head!

Listening to Your Audience to Generate New Content Ideas

I have always stressed that if you listen to your audience, you will get a better understanding of their needs. With Facebook’s latest update, you have an amazing opportunity to see what your customers want you to write about.

Here are four search queries you can use to fuel your content strategy:

1. Posts about [TOPIC]
2. Posts about [TOPIC] by [PAGE]
3. Posts about [TOPIC] in [GROUP]
4. Posts about [TOPIC] that my friends like

As you start scrolling through the results, start analyzing posts for content themes. Here are a few questions you should ask when looking at the results:

• Is there a common question that keeps popping up that you can elaborate on?
• Which post had a lively comment thread and why?
• What type of content was shared (e.g., article, ebook, infographic, video)?

Posts about [TOPIC]
When you search for posts about a specific topic, results will include posts made by your friends, Pages you follow and Groups that you participate in.

For example, if you offer personal finance advice and are looking for content ideas that your target audience may be interested in, you may want to do a search about 401K as a topic.

To make the results easier for you to digest, I recommend narrowing your search results by Page, Group and what your friends posted.

Posts about [TOPIC] by [PAGE]
When you run this search query, you want to focus on Pages that your target audience are most likely a fan of.

Using the example above, now let’s look for content ideas that your target audience may be interested in such as Money Magazine on Facebook.

After you like Money Magazine’s Page, do a search for “posts about 401K by Money Magazine.”

Posts about [TOPIC] in [GROUP]
You can even leverage Facebook Groups to narrow your search results. For example, the Facebook group, Personal Finance and Frugal Tips/Advice/Support, would be a great place to start.

After you’ve joined the group, run the search “posts about 401K in Personal Finance and Frugal/Tips/Advice/Support.”

Posts about [TOPIC] that my friends like
And lastly, check out what type of content your friends are engaging with.

Enter the phrase “posts about 401K that my friends like” into the search bar to check out what kind of results you get.

Now it’s your turn…

So there you have it folks—four ways you can use Facebook Graph Search to jumpstart your content strategy.

What do you think? I’d love to know if you’ve tried any of the above suggestions. Has your research provided you with surprising results? Share your experience in the comments box below.

**UPDATE**

Here’s a video that breaks this blog post down in five minutes: