Facebook has started testing a local search feature that suggests nearby businesses. When users search for terms such as “pizza places nearby”, a new box appears in the search results, containing a list of relevant nearby businesses, their location on a map, their ratings, a link to their Facebook page, any calls-to-action that the business has enabled on their page, and information about whether any friends have visited or rated the business. The feature seems to be in its beta testing phase as it only appears for certain users, and only appears on the web and mobile versions of Facebook, not the app. The feature will be welcome news to businesses, as it boosts awareness amongst people who are nearby and actively looking for what their business offers. Facebook confirmed the feature, saying: “We're testing a new way to discover where to go and what to do around you”.Â
