• Users are actively turning to social media for information and discovery of news, brands, trends and offerings. 
• Marketers can use this social search landscape to scale and achieve objectives. 

People nowadays are actively turning to social media for information and discovery, this social search landscape can be a goldmine for marketers. Although Google still dominates overall searches with around 80% market share, a significant portion of searches are migrating to social media, particularly among younger demographics. 

Google states that nearly 40% of United States searches aged 18-24 actively use TikTok on Instagram to find restaurants and entirely bypass Google. Social media platforms thrive on visual content like images, videos and live streams. People find these formats more engaging than traditional text-based search results. 

This paradigm shift in search behaviors presents both challenges and opportunities for marketers. They must focus on creating engaging and visually appealing content, including product demonstrations, user-generated content, and influencer collaborations. Plus, they must use social search tools to monitor brand mentions and try to foster a strong community around the brand across social channels. 

The Influence of Social Search in Digital Marketing

Social search fundamentally changes how consumers discover information and interact with brands. The days of traditional search engines like Google are nearly over, and a significant portion of online research happens directly on social media platforms. This scenario presents an excellent opportunity for marketers to capitalize on. 

According to HubSpot, nearly 31% of consumers use social media to find information. According to Google’s internal research, around 40% of Gen Z between the ages of 18 and 24 use Instagram, etc., to find restaurants. This scenario entirely bypasses Google. 

It’s a fact that recommendations from friends, influencers, and online communities hold a significant weight. Plus, social search allows users to see real-world product experiences and reviews, which helps foster trust and influence purchase decisions. The benefit of visual and engaging content on social media outperforms text-heavy results from search engines. 

Social search helps in multiple avenues, such as product discovery, where a teenager looking for new shoes might browse Instagram fashion hashtags, follow sneakerhead accounts for recommendations, and travel inspiration, where people might connect with travel groups or Reddit communities. Also, breaking news often spreads rapidly, and users might leverage social search to stay updated and witness different perspectives on current events. 

Why should Brands care about social search? 

In today’s digital age, consumers worldwide actively turn to social media platforms to research a product or service, discover new brands and make purchase decisions. Marketers can leverage this opportunity to connect with potential customers more authentically and effectively. 

Moreover, social search goes beyond just gathering information; it potentially impacts buying decisions. Social search also allows users to see real-world experiences and reviews, fostering trust and influencing purchase decisions. Let’s try to understand this premise with an example. 

Imagine an avid runner training for a marathon, Sarah. Instead of searching for running shoes on Google like everyone else, she browses Instagram using relevant hashtags or following accounts dedicated to running gear. Through social search, Sarah can see reviews, recommendations from fellow runners, and visually appealing content showcasing different models in action. This approach of social proof can influence their buying decisions. 

Social search allows brands to target potential customers actively searching for similar products or services on social media platforms. Marketers can build engaging social media content to resonate with the target audience and boost brand visibility. They can also leverage user-generated content (UGC) along with influencer marketing to be more authentic than traditional advertising. 

Here are five ways marketers can leverage social search. 

1. Targeted Content and Ad Placement

Targeted content and ad placement are the golden keys to unlocking marketing success, especially in the dynamic world of social search. Sprout Social says that around 64% of consumers expect brands to deliver personalized experiences. Targeted content and ad placement deliver highly relevant messages to the right audience at the right time. 

AdEspresso says that targeted ads can generate up to two times higher click-through rates (CTRs) than non-targeted ads. This translates to a significant increase in the effectiveness of marketing campaigns, further emphasizing the importance of targeted content and ad placement. 

For example, the Miller family sees targeted ads from Hawaiian vacation rental companies on their social media feeds after joining a travel group and expressing interest in specific locations. Many social media platforms allow these companies to target their ads based on Miller’s location, interests and online activity within the travel group. 

2. Trend Jacking and Capitalizing on Conversations

The whole social search landscape thrives on trends and conversations. It’s a dynamic space where clever marketers can leverage these elements to position their brands in the spotlight and drive profits. Social Bakers say that 63% of consumers are likely to follow brands that openly participate in trending conversations. 

Trendjacking is about creating content that capitalizes on hot topics, relevant hashtags, viral challenges, etc. In simpler terms, it’s about positioning the brand into conversations creatively and on time. Brands can leverage these aspects to capitalize on social search. 

For example, the Oreo Blackout. In 2013, during the Super Bowl power outage, Oreo took to X.com (previously known as Twitter) with a simple yet brilliant post: “You can still dunk in the dark.” This witty post leveraged the trending #SuperBowlBlackout hashtag, instantly going viral and becoming a prime example of successful trendjacking. 

Social search is all about understanding user conversations. Marketers can leverage available social listening tools to track brand mentions, industry discussions, and trending topics relevant to their audience. When brands understand the conversations, they can create content that adds value to them. This involves answering user questions, offering insights, and addressing their pain points. 

3. Community Building & Influencer Marketing

Social search is another way to build community. Moreover, marketers can leverage social search for profit by amalgamating community building and influencer marketing. According to Edelman’s Trust Barometer, around 83% of consumers globally trust the recommendations of friends and family. This statistic highlights the importance of fostering a loyal community. 

For example, GoPro and The Adventure Enthusiasts: GoPro, the famous action camera maker, cultivates a thriving online community of adventure enthusiasts. Through dedicated hashtags and contests showcasing user-captured action videos and photos, they encourage user-generated content (UGC). This approach fosters a sense of belonging and inspires potential customers, leveraging the power of community to drive brand awareness and sales. 

Influencers have established audiences with specific interests. Brands partner with relevant influencers to reach a highly targeted audience who are already receptive to the brand message. The social search landscape is actively embracing community building and influencer marketing. 

Strong community and authentic influencer partnerships foster trust and loyalty with the audience. Community engagement and targeted influencer campaigns work closely together to amplify brand awareness and visibility and reach a wider audience within a social search landscape. Plus, they help build trust and reach targeted audiences, leading to increased qualified leads, conversions, and sales. 

4. Social Listening & Reputation Management

To leverage the dynamic digital marketing landscape for profit, marketers need two key ingredients ➖social listening and reputation management. Social listening involves actively monitoring online conversations to understand better what people say about the brand, industry and competition. 

According to Palowise.ai, 61% of businesses use social listening, highlighting its growing importance. For example, imagine a company selling athletic shoes. Social listening tools help track brand mentions of themselves and the competition, thus revealing customer sentiments towards different features, value for money, and brand image. Marketers can then use the data to develop targeted ad campaigns and improve product designs. 

Social listening complements reputation management. According to Locobuzz, around 96% of dissatisfied customers don’t complain directly but vent their frustration online. For example, a customer tweets about his negative experience with the brand. Through active social listening, marketers can identify this tweet and respond promptly. A sincere and swift apology and efforts to resolve the issue might turn this negative experience positive. 

The intersection of social listening and reputation management provides multiple benefits. It helps identify credible brand advocates by finding customers who love your brand and engage with them. Craft targeted content, as social listening reveals content that resonates with the audience. Address customer concerns through swift response and commitment to solving the problem. 

5. Competitive Analysis & Market Research

To navigate the ever-changing digital marketing landscape skillfully, marketers need to understand the currents and players involved. Competitive analysis consists of studying the competition’s social media strategies. According to Social Media Today, 72% of marketers believe that competition analysis is essential for developing successful social media strategies. 

For example, company X sells organic beauty products. Through a detailed competitive analysis, they discover a competitor hosting highly successful live Q&A sessions with makeup artists on Instagram. This approach can motivate them to adopt a similar strategy to engage their audience and promote their products. 

In comparison, market research dives deep into the hearts and minds of the target audience and helps understand their online behavior, preferences, and social media habits. This data can be used to tailor the campaign for maximum impact. According to Social Media Examiner, businesses with data-driven social media strategies achieve around 5x more ROI than others. 

For example, company Z, which sells fitness trackers, discovered through market research that its target audience primarily uses YouTube for workout tutorials. This knowledge helps them develop targeted ad campaigns on YouTube showcasing the benefits of their fitness trackers alongside popular workout videos. 

In conclusion, social search emerged as a powerful tool, with the majority of social media users turning to these platforms for information and discovery. To capitalize on this premise, marketers can create targeted content and ad placements, trendjacking, community building, influencer marketing, social listening and reputation management, competitive analysis, and market research. If used strategically, social search can be a credible partner for success.