Ask Anything, Get Quality Answers - Facebook Questions & Answers

On July 28, Facebook announced, “We think it will be as exciting as Facebook Photos and Facebook Events, but we need your help to make it great… You’ll be the first person outside of Facebook to use this product.” What are they talking about?  Facebook’s new Q&A feature; which will allow users to pose questions to the entire Facebook community and answer others.

According to Facebook’s Blake Ross, a Director of Product Management –

“Facebook Questions will help you tap into the collective knowledge of the more than 500 million people on Facebook. For example, if you're vacationing in Costa Rica and want to know the best places to surf, you can use Facebook Questions to get answers from nearby surfing enthusiasts. Because questions will also appear to your friends and their friends, you'll receive answers that are more personalized to you.”  In a blog post, Ross writes, “for now Questions will be available only to a “limited number of people” but the company is “aiming to bring this product to all of you as quickly as we can.

No doubt, this feature propels Facebook smack dab in the middle of the online Q&A market. The details of the service are meager at best, but one thing is certain, it'll compete with Yahoo Answers and Wiki Answers.  “It’s also interesting to note that this app also competes with Mahalo, owned by prominent Facebook-quitter Jason Calacanis, and with Quora, which was founded last year by former Facebook employees”  You can read mashable’s blog on this new roll out. 

If you think you would like to beta-test the app, you will need to submit and answer three questions of your own first. These introductory questions will also give the feature a good running start in terms of content.  Get ready, Facebook fans! Soon you will see an “Ask Question” button on the home page and will be able to pose questions to all of Facebook.  You will even be able to attach a photo to enhance your Q&A experience.