According to online measurement service Experian Hitwise, Facebook topped Google with 8.9 percent of all U.S. visits between January and November 2010. Google came in a close second with 7.2 percent of all visits. Facebook, a site launched only six short years ago by Mark Zuckerberg, has quickly ascended to number one position with over 500 millon users. According to Experian Hitwise, Facebook jumped to the top spot after spending last year in third place and ranking ninth the year before. In 2008 and 2009, Google.com dominated the top spot as the most visited website. In 2007, MySpace, another social networking website, enjoyed the top spot. MySpace is currently ranked No. 7.

The popularity of Facebook also marks a growing trend in the way people surf online – with the user experience becoming more social. Aside from messing around on Twitter and Facebook, the social aspect of the Internet extends into content consumption and e-commerce as more sharing and recommendations tools further integrate into sites like Amazon, Etsy, and Ebay.

The company found new terms that entered into the Top 50 search terms for 2010 included searches for Netflix, Verizon Wireless, ESPN, Chase, Pogo, Tagged, Wells Fargo, yellow pages, Poptropica, games and Hulu.

As the Internet becomes more social, Facebook has looked to leverage its traffic for monetary value by developing advertising platforms, offering better fan page features, and integrating what analysts are calling “F-commerce,” Facebook’s growing e-commerce features. Because of this shift, Facebook was able to rake in $800 million in 2009, with figures yet to be released for 2010.

Its rise suggested that Internet users are moving away from cold search engines and relying more on the knowledge and recommendations of their friends and family. So, the tide is changing now.

Via Eweek