Mark Zuckerberg just put Google on notice that it's going after its cash cow

Advertisement

Mark Zuckerberg Larry Page

Business Insider/Julie Bort

Mark Zuckerberg Larry Page

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg provided a blueprint on Wednesday for what could turn into a major new business: search advertising.

Advertisement

Facebook has had search capabilities on its social network for years, but the company has never really tried to turn it into money-maker in the vein of Google's lucrative search advertising business.

During Facebook's Q2 earnings call on Wednesday though, Zuckerberg made it clear that search advertising is in the cards, although he didn't provide any specific time frame.

Complimentary Tech Event
Transform talent with learning that works
Capability development is critical for businesses who want to push the envelope of innovation.Discover how business leaders are strategizing around building talent capabilities and empowering employee transformation.Know More

Zuckerberg said he saw search, like all Facebook's products, as going through a three-stage process. Stage 1 is introducing the product to users. Stage 2 involves making search "organically" useful to businesses. Stage 3 is when Facebook charges businesses for search features.

Right now, he said, search is in Stage 2.

Advertisement

Zuckerberg didn't elaborate on what exactly the company would charge businesses for when it begins Stage 3, though it's likely to involve some sort of promotion within Facebook search results.

"At some point we will probably work on that," Zuckerberg said, addressing the potential for commercial and monetizable search features.

That's sure to increase competition with Google, the world's No.1 internet search engine, which generates the majority of its revenue from search ads.

NOW WATCH: Britain could be chemically 'growing' military drones in the future