After several of our team members delivered a lecture at the University of London earlier this year, the conversation quickly turned to how students search for information. The lecturer told us something that stopped us in our tracks: “Whenever I ask my students to look something up, they don’t open Google. They open TikTok.”

For a generation that has grown up with smartphones, Google is no longer the default gateway to information. TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube have become the search engines of choice: not just for entertainment as you might expect, but for serious research, recommendations, and everyday discovery. 

This shift has big implications for brands and marketers, as well as industries that may not have previously thought social media was applicable to them – like professional services companies. 

The Rise of Social Search

Social Search Optimisation, or SSO, is the practice of making your content discoverable on social platforms that now function like search engines. 

TikTok and Instagram aren’t just places to scroll anymore: they are where people type “best Italian restaurants near me,” “how to get a law training contract,” or “skincare tips for dry skin in winter.” 

YouTube remains the go-to platform for ‘how-to’ content, while even LinkedIn is becoming more search-first for professional expertise.

The driver behind this trend is authenticity. 

Younger generations are sceptical of overly polished web pages and prefer human perspectives, real experiences, and answers from people they feel are like them. 

This shift has significant implications for how brands approach their content and visibility online.

Google Search: The Traditional Powerhouse

Google is not disappearing anytime soon and optimising your content for traditional search engines is still a vital part of any brand’s marketing plan. 

It still dominates when consumers want depth, authority, and transactional intent. 

Whether booking a flight, finding a law firm’s contact details, or comparing insurance products, Google’s ecosystem of ads, maps, and reviews is (currently) unbeatable.

However, Google does have its limitations. 

Its search results can feel cluttered with ads, and younger users often distrust anonymous websites, preferring peer-driven recommendations. 

For students and Gen Z audiences, scrolling through ten blue links feels cumbersome compared to the immersive, visual-first experience offered by TikTok and Instagram.

Social vs. Google: How Discovery Differs

The differences between Google search and social search are pronounced. 

Google remains text and keyword-driven, prioritising authority signals such as backlinks and domain trust. It is ideal for in-depth research or transactional queries and has a more formal, corporate feel. 

Social search, by contrast, is visual and video-first, with engagement signals like likes, comments, and shares driving visibility.

It excels at proactive inspiration, trend discovery, and community-driven content, creating a more authentic, human, and peer-oriented experience.

Why This Shift Matters for Brands

This evolution in consumer behaviour reshapes the marketing landscape. 

Authenticity has become a key currency; a law firm’s website may look authoritative, but a short TikTok explaining “three things to know before you sign a rental contract” will resonate more with younger audiences. 

Customer journeys are increasingly fragmented. Someone may discover a pub on Instagram, research it on Google Maps, and then book via the website.

The implication is clear: SEO is vital, but alone is no longer enough. 

Brands must optimise their presence across both traditional search engines and social platforms to ensure they are visible wherever discovery occurs.

How to Optimise for Social Search

Optimising for social search requires adapting traditional SEO skills for social platforms. 

Brands should incorporate natural keywords into captions, hashtags, and on-screen text, since platforms like TikTok even transcribe spoken words, boosting discoverability. 

Encouraging user-generated content and reviews builds credibility far faster than branded advertising alone. 

Local optimisation, such as using geotags and location-based hashtags, is crucial for hospitality and service-based businesses who are likely to attract walk-ins, and people already out and searching for their service near them. 

Posting consistently and fostering engagement is also important, as algorithms favour accounts that maintain regular activity and strong audience interaction.

The Future: Where Search and Social Collide

Google is aware of the challenge posed by social platforms and is experimenting with AI-driven Overviews, integrating short-form video, and surfacing community-led content. 

Meanwhile, social platforms are increasingly connecting discovery directly to commerce. TikTok Shop and Instagram Shops allow users to move seamlessly from discovery to purchase without leaving the platform.

The future of consumer discovery is unlikely to be either-or. It will be hybrid, combining elements of AI, social media, and traditional search. 

Brands that adapt to this blended ecosystem will be best positioned to capture attention at the moment of discovery.

The University of London story illustrates the generational shift perfectly: younger audiences are no longer opening Google first. They are opening TikTok. 

For brands, this doesn’t mean abandoning traditional search, but expanding visibility across the platforms people actually use to discover, explore, and make decisions. 

If your customers searched for your product, service, or expertise on TikTok, Instagram, or YouTube today, would they find you?

Those who adapt early will capture attention where it matters most – at the very start of the consumer journey.

Contact us today to find out more about our optimisation of social platforms, including paid social advertising.