Is Google’s SEO losing its throne to Social Media SEO? The way people search is
changing due to the popularity of Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok—especially among
Gen Z users. In the not too distant future, these platforms may even overtake Google.
Due to the shift in user behavior businesses must carefully use social media SEO in
order to reach customers and stay competitive online.¹ The following research on this
topic will help you discover how to navigate the ever evolving world of search.
The Social SEO Presence
Social SEO involves optimizing your social media posts to increase their search
visibility.² This is done by integrating relevant keywords and making full use of each
platform’s unique functions. Social media sites have their own algorithms that go
through content to decide what appears in searches and news feeds, making strategic
optimization essential.
The rise of social SEO is undeniable, with people increasingly using social media
platforms as search engines. While traditional SEO focuses on optimizing content for
search engines like Google, social SEO targets the booming user base on social
platforms. For instance, with 59% of the world’s population on social media daily and
platforms such as Facebook having over 2 billion searches a day, it’s clear that social
media search is thriving. Furthermore, 83% of Instagram users use search to discover
new products on the platform. This highlights the importance of social SEO in
enhancing visibility and driving website traffic.³
Marketers need to invest in social SEO strategy to harness the full potential of social
search. By tracking brand mentions and utilizing social listening, you can discover a
wealth of data to inform your strategy and adapt to audience preferences. This can help
brands not only boost visibility among existing followers but also reach new audiences,
as digital natives often discover and share brands through social search.⁴ Ultimately,
social SEO is key to expanding your brand’s reach and impact, making it an essential
tool in the modern marketer’s toolkit.
Understanding the Shift to Social Media Search
Social media platforms are replacing traditional search engines like Google in a big way,
drastically changing the internet search environment. This change is especially
noticeable in younger generations, like Gen Z, who are using social media more and
more for their search needs. According to research highlighted by Marketing Dive, 67%
of Gen Z prefer to use Instagram for search, while 62% prefer to use TikTok over Google,
pointing to a significant shift in the way that information is sought out and used.⁵
Prabhakar Raghavan, who runs Google’s Knowledge and Information sector, outlines
one significant reason as to why this trend is happening: Gen Z and younger adults
prefer content that is visually stimulating when searching—and sites like Instagram and
TikTok offer immediate video- and image-based results.⁶ Social media sites are also
better optimized for trends, speed, and user-generated content when compared to
traditional search engines—playing another big role in this shift.⁷
The Mechanics of Social Search
In order to adapt to this new search behavior, social media platforms are including
features that improve SEO discoverability. For example, hashtags are now essential,
serving as SEO keywords that direct viewers to content that piques their interest. The
relevancy and interaction of content marked with these hashtags influence its visibility
in search results, in addition to the quantity of posts. Moreover, searchability is greatly
impacted by spoken words, captions, and on-screen text in the world of video content,
which is dominated by platforms such as TikTok.⁷ Since algorithms are getting better at
indexing video content, it is imperative that video creators include relevant keywords
organically in their videos.
Predictions & Takeaways
The future of SEO seems to be leaning heavily towards Social Media, as platforms like
Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok gain traction, particularly among Gen Z users. This
demographic’s preference for social platforms as search engines may lead to a shift
where social media SEO surpasses Google’s traditional SEO in importance. For
marketers, this means adapting strategies to prioritize social media SEO to effectively
reach and engage with their target audience.
As social media search continues to rise in prominence, businesses must pay attention
to social SEO to remain competitive in the online space. Marketers should focus on
optimizing their social media content with relevant keywords, hashtags, and user tags to
enhance visibility and engagement.
Written By: Jessica Carrasco, Josue Saldana, Ryan Distaso
Attributes:
1. https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnkoetsier/2024/03/11/genz-dumping-google-for-tiktok-instagram-as-social-search-wins/?sh=148e4f0b2e6d
2. https://neilpatel.com/blog/social-seo/
3. https://www.searchenginejournal.com/social-media-search-google-recap/473269/
4. https://blog.hootsuite.com/social-media-search/#Why_does_social_media_search_matter_to_marketers
5. https://www.marketingdive.com/news/google-tiktok-instagram-local-search-preference-gen-z/710130/
6. https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/social-media-future#search-social-not-engines
7. https://www.thedrum.com/opinion/2024/01/24/2024-the-year-social-search-takes-over-and-social-seo-becomes-essential