Social Snapshot: Google Who?

March 19, 2025

Why Social Search is the Future of Digital Discovery

It’s happened. Social media isn’t just stealing Google’s lunch, it’s throwing the whole search game into a blender and serving it up as a trending TikTok sound.

For years, brands obsessed over traditional SEO (long-tail keywords, backlinks, meta descriptions). But in 2025? Nearly 60% of Gen Z and Millennials start their search journeys on social media, not Google. (Sprout Social) – not that I feel very bad for Google

This isn’t a fad. It’s a fundamental shift in how people find information, products, and services. And if your brand isn’t searchable on TikTok, Instagram, or Reddit, you may as well not exist (Harsh, but true).

Why Social Search Matters Now

The traditional dominance of search engines is waning, with younger demographics favouring the dynamic, community-driven content found on social media platforms. eMarketer
42% of Gen Z prefer TikTok and Instagram over Google for research. (Eclipse Marketing) (If it’s not on TikTok, did it even happen?)
The Death of the Google Monoculture: Social media platforms are now the starting point for 55% of product searches globally. (GWI)
AI-driven search is exploding, with platforms like Reddit Answers providing instant community-based responses instead of dry, impersonal search results. (DMEXCO)
Social platforms are doubling down on search: Instagram recently expanded keyword search beyond hashtags, and TikTok now suggests search queries based on trending content. (Yes, the algorithm knows you better than your own mother.)

This is not about repurposing old content and hoping it ranks. It’s about understanding how people now search and giving them what they actually want.

How to Optimise for Social Search (SSO) in 2025

If SEO was all about Google, SSO (Social Search Optimisation) is about platform-specific discoverability. Each platform has its own quirks, behaviours, and search trends. Here’s how to master them:

What to Do on Each Platform

SSO Framework: The 5 C’s of Social Search

Social search isn’t just about being visible, it’s about being found in the right way, by the right audience, at the right moment.

Unlike traditional SEO, where algorithms prioritise backlinks and metadata, social search is driven by engagement, content relevance, and community interaction. This means that ranking high in TikTok, Instagram, or Reddit search results isn’t just about stuffing keywords, it’s about creating content that sparks conversations, gets shared, and keeps users engaged (Basically, you need to be useful and interesting, not the social media equivalent of dry toast.)

That’s where the 5 C’s of Social Search Optimisation (SSO) come in.

This framework is built on the behaviours that dictate how content surfaces on social platforms, ensuring that brands don’t just show up in searches, they stand out.

To dominate social search, every post needs to tick these five boxes:

Clarity – Does your post directly answer a commonly searched question?
Content Type – Are you using the right format (video, carousel, poll) for the platform?
Captions & Keywords – Are keywords naturally embedded in your caption and on-screen text?
Community Signals – Are people engaging, saving, or sharing your content (which boosts search rankings)?
Conversion Path – Does your content guide people to a next step, like a website, product page, or UGC?

Three Steps to Win Social Search in 2025

1. Rethink Your Keyword Strategy

Forget dry, corporate keywords. Social search is how people actually talk.

Example:

Google SEO: “Best coffee machine under £100”
TikTok SEO: “What’s the best coffee machine for small kitchens?”
Reddit SEO: “I need a good cheap coffee machine – any recs?”

Action:

Use Google Trends, TikTok Search, and Reddit threads to see what people are actually asking.
Write titles and captions in natural, conversational language.

2. Make Video Your Default Format

TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube Shorts dominate social search. In 2025, 66% of consumers say short-form video is their go-to content format. (Exploding Topics)

Action:

Start videos with a strong hook (e.g. “Here’s what no one tells you about buying a house”)
Add text overlays with key phrases
Use on-screen subtitles so content is searchable without sound

3. Prioritise UGC & Community Engagement

The new social algorithm rewards conversation over content. Engagement drives search ranking.

Action:

Get customers to review products in Reels & TikToks
Run polls & Q&As (high engagement = higher searchability)
Reply with video to top questions in your niche

The battle for search dominance is shifting.

If Google Search is the encyclopaedia, social search is the living, breathing conversation.

For brands, the message is clear:

Be discoverable where people search. Not where you want them to search.
Optimise for natural, conversational queries. Not old-school keyword stuffing.
Master video content and community engagement. Or get buried in the algorithm.

The Future of Search is Social. Are You Ready?

Book a call, drop us a DM, or let’s chat over LinkedIn. We’ll help you own the search revolution.

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