The New Era of Search

Back in 2024, I wrote an article on Social Media SEO, noting that 76% of consumers were using social platforms to discover new products and brands. Two years later, social media as a search engine is still going strong, fueled by user-generated content that provides the honest reviews, tutorials, and real-life visuals consumers are looking for.

“...brands that are social first see 10% higher annual revenue growth.” (Deloitte Digital,) By actively joining conversations, you allow your business to appear organically in feeds, comments, and search results. This transparency and involvement builds the credibility that search engines (both traditional and non) prioritize.

To maximize this, it’s important to leverage keyword research. Identifying the specific terms your target audience uses is crucial, but don't be afraid to incorporate keywords from related trending topics to remain relevant within your audience's social searches.

While keywords are vital for your posts, they are equally important for your profiles. Optimizing your social presence ensures you are visible during high-intent moments, including:

• Discovery within a social feed

• Google search results

• AI-generated summaries

With the rapid adoption of AI, many users are shifting toward tools like ChatGPT for a more comprehensive search experience. These tools pull data from high-performing social posts and web pages to summarize complex topics; further proof that an active social presence is critical for brand visibility.

An Adobe poll revealed that 77% of people have used ChatGPT as a search engine, often preferring it to Google. This trend spans every generation:

• Gen X: 80%

• Gen Z: 77%

• Millennials: 75%

• Baby Boomers: 74%

As trust in AI grows, optimizing your business for AI search is just as important as traditional Google SEO. Proper optimization ensures your content is frequently referenced and cited, positioning your brand higher within AI-generated responses. It's as easy as asking your AI platform of choice, "How do I optimize my business for AI search?". Don't forget to include some information about your business - what you do, where you're located, your website, etc.

Today’s customer journeys are multichannel. Whether through traditional search engines, AI, or social media, these platforms now coexist to provide businesses with more tools than ever to connect with their audience.