Integrating social network data with search results

A computer-readable storage device configured to store instructions that, when variously executed by at least one device, cause the at least one device to present personalized search results for a search query generated by a selected user of a social network by:

• for respective topics, detect an interest trend in the topic among the users of the social network who are associated with the selected user;
• applying the search query on a search engine indexing content items outside of the social network to generate a search result set comprising at least one search result that is not referenced by the users of the social network who are associated with the selected user;
• identifying at least one topic that is referenced within the social network and associated with the search query;
• selecting, within the social network of the selected user, at least one social data item associated with at least one topic associated with the search query;
• and
• select, within the social network of the selected user, at least one social data item that is referenced by the users of the social network who are associated with the selected user, associated with at least one topic associated with the search query, and exhibiting a positive interest trend among the users of the social network who are associated with the selected user;
• and
• providing for presentation to the selected user the at least one social data item integrated with the search result set.

A computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when variously executed by at least one computing device having access to a social network and a search engine, generate personalized search results for a search query for display to a selected user of the social network, the search query specifying at least one social data item type, by:

• upon receiving from the selected user at least one social network credential, storing the at least one social network credential;
• and
• detecting a user interest expressed by the selected user regarding at least one topic;
• for respective topics, detecting an interest trend in the topic among the users of the social network who are associated with the selected user according to a reference frequency of references to the topic by the users within the social network who are associated with the selected user;
• and
• upon receiving a search query from the selected user:
• applying the search query on a search engine indexing content items outside of the social network to generate a search result set comprising at least one search result that is not referenced by the users of the social network who are associated with the selected user;
• authenticating the selected user with the social network using the at least one social network credential;
• identifying at least one topic associated with the search query;
• selecting at least one social data item of the social data item type that is referenced within the social network and associated with at least one topic associated with the search query, in which the selected user has expressed a user interest, and exhibiting a positive interest trend among the users of the social network who are associated with the selected user;
• integrating the social data items with the search results in the search result set;
• and
• presenting to the selected user the at least one social data item and the search result set while emphasizing the at least one social data item as compared with the at least one search result of the search result set.