Google is in trouble wherever they look. On one side, AI and Microsoft are changing the nature of search by the day, on the other side younger users are drifting off towards social search. No wonder they have declared a code red.
Some numbers from a recent Hubspot survey
87% of social media marketers believe that consumers will search for brands on social media more frequently than through search engines by 2023.
24% of consumers aged 18 to 54 already search for brands on social media platforms more often than through search engines, with this number rising to 36% among Gen Z.
So, how are social media users searching? They are looking for:
- People (58%)
- Interesting content (57%)
- Brands (32%)
- Ideas/inspiration (32%)
- Products/services to buy (31%)
This trend was confirmed in 2022 by Google’s Senior Vice President of Knowledge & Information, Prabhakar Raghavan. He stated that social platforms were eating into Google’s core products, Search and Maps.
“In our studies, something like almost 40% of young people, when they’re looking for a place for lunch, they don’t go to Google Maps or Search,” said Raghavan. “They go to TikTok or Instagram.”
Raghavan explained that young consumers today are looking for more visually-rich results and straying away from search engines that favour text.
What does that mean for you? Get ready to optimize your social content for search.
The question is, how can you optimize your profiles for social search? Here are some top recommendations from social media marketers:
- Include relevant keywords and hashtags in your posts and bio.
- Ensure that your username is easy to search for.
- Have a consistent username across all accounts.
- Post consistently and share your core messaging. Don’t be afraid of repetition.
- Maintain your brand across all channels for easy recognition.
