Search Is Everywhere: Social’s Role in a Multi-Platform Landscape
There’s no more ignoring it: Search behavior has diversified well beyond established search engines like Google. Platforms like TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and Reddit are not just content platforms – they’re now core components of how consumers search, research, and convert. With Google’s AI overviews further disrupting traditional SEO, brands must optimize everywhere, including social media.
But optimization alone isn’t enough. Content must meet user intent and serve audience needs natively based on the norms and expectations of each platform.
Search Everywhere Optimization: A New SEO Model
Oh, the endless new acronyms… 🙃. Well, at least this time it’s still the same acronym – SEO – with an evolved meaning.
Google now accounts for just 27% of total daily searches when you factor in platforms that aren’t traditional search engines, according to Neil Patel. If you’re only prioritizing search marketing for Google, you’re missing out on 73% of opportunities.
Consumers are now using TikTok, Instagram, Reddit, YouTube, and even ChatGPT to search for information. So, what does the confluence of social media and search engine optimization mean for your marketing strategy? Think about:
- Using social media search engines as keyword tools and platforms for visibility
- Making social media and search engine optimization collaborative, not siloed
- Aligning internal teams to spot crossover trends and optimize at every touchpoint
Welcome to Search Everywhere Optimization – where SEO and social media strategy no longer live in separate silos. They’re interconnected, shaping visibility across a much broader digital landscape. It’s time to rethink your approach: Are you still optimizing for just 27% of the search market?
Social Platforms = Discovery Engines
It’s no longer organic search vs. organic social – they’re not competitors but allies. YouTube is widely recognized as one of the few social media search engines, which, as a Google subsidiary, makes total sense. In the past couple of years, however, TikTok has opened the floodgates for other social platforms to revitalize their search tools and results, as more than 40% of Gen Z uses TikTok as a primary search tool.
To stay competitive, Google has had to evolve, giving social platforms more real estate in the SERPs. Now, ChatGPT is even outpacing Google in some traffic categories. Users are piecing together knowledge from multiple platforms before converting.
The majority of consumers use social media to guide purchase decisions; even ten years ago, it was 74% of consumers! Social media as a search engine is nothing new – it’s just finally more measurable.
The Funnel Is Dead: Now It’s the Infinite Journey
Today’s buyer journey doesn’t look like a funnel. It looks like a tangled web of multi-touch, multi-platform interactions. Consumers bounce between Instagram, YouTube, Google, Reddit, and TikTok before ever considering a conversion. They’re exposed to multiple brands and hundreds of messages daily.
Salim Gheewalla calls this the infinite journey – where long-term brand exposure, not short-term clicks, drives ROI. Your brand needs ongoing, platform-native, relationship-first content to show up along that path. Modernized social media marketing is key in meeting those needs.
How Social Search Works Differently
The benefit of social search marketing is that it’s fast, visual, and intuitive. You’re not jumping between sites and platforms like with traditional search – everything lives in one space. That’s why it appeals to younger audiences and is transforming search engine optimization and social media marketing.
For example:
A user sees a TikTok about a skincare brand → Searches Instagram for social proof → Heads to Google for reviews → Then buys.
So, how do you ensure your brand stands out?
Here are some social search tips:
- Content must be native (Reels, Shorts, carousels) and designed for each platform’s vibe.
- Prioritize value and discovery over old-school sales CTAs.
- Tap into platform trends, not just branded talking points.
- Use platform-specific SEO (hashtags, in-video text, alt text, etc.).
🎯 Social content isn’t just scrollable – it’s searchable.
Measuring Impact Beyond Clicks
It’s time to rethink your KPIs. Clicks aren’t the end-all anymore – especially with zero-click content on social and AI-powered search tools. You need metrics that reflect actual consumer behavior.
Start tracking:
- Engagement rate (likes, shares, comments)
- Branded search volume in traditional search engines
- Brand mentions across all platforms
- Direct traffic spikes on your website after social media performance surges
- Saves and shares on social – the new gold standard
- Conversion rate on your website
As Neil Patel puts it:
“As AI Overviews become more common, the new SEO will be Search Everywhere Optimization.”
Action Steps for Brands
Ready to future-proof your social media and search engine optimization strategy? Here’s what to do:
✅ Audit your social presence like you would your website: Are your bios optimized for keywords? Are your videos showing up in platform search?
✅ Incorporate search-friendly formats: Use Instagram carousels, TikTok how-tos, and YouTube Shorts that answer your audience’s most searched questions.
✅ Bridge SEO and social: Use tools like AnswerThePublic or TikTok’s search bar to mine social queries for content ideas.
✅ Update old-school metrics: Stop obsessing over CTRs. Start valuing engagement, exposure, and long-term attribution.
✅ Collaborate cross-channel: Align content strategy, SEO, and social media marketing teams so insights and wins are shared, not siloed.
Let’s Make Your Social SEO, Everywhere
The Oneupweb team works at the intersection of organic search and social. Whether you need a strategy refresh, content built for discovery, or a full-blown cross-channel plan, we’re here to help you show up where it matters most. Tap into nearly three decades of digital marketing expertise with a hand-picked team of social and search marketing professionals. Contact our team or call (231) 922-9977 to get started.
