social search for marketers essential answers

FAQs

Short answer
Social search is when people use social platforms to find answers, ideas and suppliers. They type questions into TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, Reddit and community apps, then skim posts, captions, comments and videos. If your content is clear, well labelled and human, it gets surfaced in those results and in AI summaries.

How to think about it

People search in natural language, not neat keywords.
Platforms rank spoken words, on-screen text, captions, comments and watch time.
AI assistants often quote those same blocks.

The latest social search trends and usage

Short answer
Social search shows answers inside the platform. The result is often a short video, a carousel or a comment thread. It is personal and conversational. Traditional search points you at pages. Social search points you at people and posts.

What changes for you

Edit for clarity first, brand voice second.
Favour short answer blocks and proof over long copy.
Prioritise in-platform actions. Saves, shares, replies and watch time are ranking signals.

Find out more in Design for Social Search

Short answer
AI tools lift language from public posts, captions, subtitles and PDFs. If you write neat, factual 40 to 60 word answers and name real experts, you are more likely to be quoted inside AI results.

Make your content machine readable

One idea per paragraph.
Use the exact question customers ask.
Name the expert and role.
Add a short, plain summary.

How do I make our posts discoverable

Short answer
Say what the asset is, who it is for and what it answers. Put those words in the title, file name, on-screen text, subtitles, captions and alt text.

Quick checklist

File names in plain English
- isa-tax-rules-2025.pdf, not FINAL_v8.pdf
Clear titles
- “how to move a pension without fees”
First line answer
- 40 to 60 words in plain language
Alt text that tells the story
- “bar chart showing fixed rate mortgage approvals rising quarter on quarter”
On-screen text that mirrors the query
- “what counts as proof of address”

What should I write in captions

Short answer
Open with the question your audience actually types. Follow with a short answer. Then add one helpful next step.

Template

Line 1
- “how do flexible cancellations work”
Line 2
- “you can cancel up to 24 hours before arrival and receive a full credit. submit the request in your account and we confirm within two hours.”
Line 3
- “see the full policy here” [link or instruction]

How many hashtags should I use

Short answer
Use a light touch. Platforms now prioritise spoken words, captions and on-screen text. One location or category tag is enough. Spend your energy on the first two caption lines and the opening three seconds of video.

There is lots of detail and a table showing what to do by platform in the blog, Hashtags are dead

Short answer
Anything that gives a clear, short answer. Clips with subtitles, carousels with headlines that read like queries, PDFs with clean titles, and short posts that link to a longer guide.

Useful formats

20–45 second subtitled clips
5–8 slide carousels
One-page PDFs with a contents panel
Text posts that open with the question

How do I involve our experts without slowing everything down

Short answer
Use named experts for trust, then package their advice so it is easy to reuse. Record fast, edit light, label clearly.

Process

Capture 3 questions they get asked daily.
Record answers in one take.
Add a title that includes their name and role.
Write a 50 word summary in the description.
Publish the transcript for search.

How do I measure success

Short answer
Track saves, shares and watch time inside platforms, and track “search-driven” leads on site. Expect some zero-click impact as answers surface in-platform and in AI.

Scorecard

In platform
- saves, shares, replies, watch time, profile clicks
On site
- sessions from social, time on helpful pages, framework downloads, demo requests
Assisted outcomes
- last non-direct click from social or AI before enquiry

What are the quickest wins this week

Short answer
Do a hygiene sweep on your top ten assets and convert three product posts into mini FAQs.

Ten-asset sweep

Rename files in plain English
Add descriptive alt text
Add 40–60 word answer blocks
Add clear titles and captions
Pin one evergreen answer per channel

Three mini faqs

Pick common questions
Answer in bullets
Link to one next step

What are the biggest blunders to avoid

Short answer
Pretty content that says nothing, buried calls to action and hashtag soup.

Common blunders

Viral vanity
- Views without a clear call to action
Hashtag stuffing
- Long strings instead of clear captions
Polish over clarity
- Pretty visuals that dodge the awkward but important questions
Invisible authority
- No named experts or proof points
Unsearchable assets
- Generic file names, no subtitles, no alt text

What should my team name files and assets

Short answer
Use lower case, hyphens, and the words a customer would type. Put the topic and the year when it helps.

Examples

sipp-transfer-times-2025.pdf
mortgage-approval-checklist.png
retirement-planning-questions-answered.srt
how-to-claim-business-expenses-uk.mp4

How do I write strong alt text

Short answer
Describe what is visible and explain the point of the graphic. Include the key nouns and numbers a reader expects.

Template
“line chart showing average delivery time falling from seven days to three days over twelve months. target line at five days crossed in april.”

How do I brief subtitles or transcripts

Short answer
Use full sentences, correct names and simple punctuation. Subtitles help humans and machines.

Checklist

Export SRTs for every clip
Correct brand and product names
Include numbers with units
Remove filler words only if meaning is unchanged

What should I publish on each platform

Short answer
Keep the core answer the same and tailor how you package it.

Platform tips

TikTok and Instagram
- Hook in two seconds, big on-screen question, concise caption, one location tag
YouTube
- Clear title, 50–60 word description, chapters, full transcript
LinkedIn
- First two lines carry the question and answer, carousels with headline per slide, PDFs with clean titles
Reddit and communities
- Helpful comments, no sales talk, link only when asked or when it truly helps

How do I organise production without slowing down

Short answer
Work in small sprints. Give every asset a unique ID, title, summary and owner. Reuse the same answer block in every format.

Two-week sprint

Week 1
- pick 3 topics, script answers, record clips, write summaries, create carousels
Week 2
- publish, reply, repurpose into a blog, collect questions for the next sprint

What do I change on our website for Ai and answer engines

Short answer
Make pages scannable, factual and easy to cite. Use schema where it helps. Reduce duplication so each page owns one topic.

On-page fixes

One page per question or theme
Clear H1 that reads like a query
First paragraph is a 40–60 word answer
Add FAQ items for follow-ons
Use relevant schema types
Keep last updated dates visible

Can you give me examples to copy and adapt

Short answer
Yes. Here are three you can lift and tailor.

Example 1 video caption
“how long does a transfer take
most transfers complete in 7 to 10 working days. submit your form online and we will confirm receipt within two hours. we send progress updates by email. if documents are missing we will tell you what to upload.”

Example 2 carousel slide titles

what counts as proof of address
how we verify identity
the three documents that speed things up
what happens if a check fails
talk to a human in 2 minutes

Example 3 alt text
“table showing three service tiers with response times of two hours, eight hours and next day. premium tier includes weekend support.”

Titles and file names use plain English
First two lines answer the question
40–60 word summary on every asset
Subtitles or transcripts uploaded
Alt text added for images and thumbnails
One pinned evergreen answer per profile
Saves, shares and search-led leads tracked