The Future of Search

Digital Marketing / April 19, 2023

Using Google the way we used to is gradually becoming a thing of the past, experts are noticing. 

“Almost 40 percent of young people, when they’re looking for a place for lunch, they don’t go to Google Maps or Search. They go to TikTok or Instagram,” 

said Prabhakar Raghavan, a senior vice president at Google. 

With over 3.5 billion downloads worldwide, TikTok is up there in the world’s most popular apps. With content covering every subject imaginable, it’s no wonder why millions of people every day turn to the platform to answer their questions and learn more about topics in which they’re interested. 

In this blog, we’ll discuss alternative platforms people use for search aside from search engines, why and how people are modifying the way they search information on the Web, and what it means for us marketers.

Without further ado, let’s get into it!

TikTok and Instagram for Search

In a world where everything can be answered by Google with a click, why would anyone download an external app to get their questions answered?

Well, there are many reasons for why someone might turn to a platform such as TikTok or Instagram to have their search queries resolved.

One of the most obvious differences between the information available on TikTok versus what is found on Google is that the latter doesn’t do as well at answering pathos-driven questions. For example, a question like “how to get over a breakup” on Google would probably be answered with a step by step list. The same question on TikTok would be answered by real people showing empathy and support for your situation and speaking from their own personal experiences providing you their best advice.

What the trends show people want to see, is quick and efficient real-life testimonials, pieces of advice, or video-clip answers to their questions that portray some sense of real connection and authenticity. That’s exactly what you would find on TikTok and Instagram.

Consequently, users are progressively turning to platforms where the algorithm exhibits content that is pertinent to their search and tailored precisely to what they and other users have searched for in the past.

TikTok Search Ads 

TikTok has recently announced they plan on entering the search market in the future, and providing a model similar to that on Google or Microsoft. 

The search ads platform of TikTok is still in its beta testing phase, but will eventually enable businesses to bid on particular keywords and phrases associated with their products or services, similar to how they would on Google. 

Nevertheless, TikTok’s platform is expected to provide exclusive features and targeting choices. It is anticipated to have advanced audience targeting options, allowing advertisers to target users based on their interests, behaviors, and demographics.

However, TikTok is still in the early stages of development with this plan, and it won’t be easy for them to compete with Google which evidently has a large head-start in the industry. If TikTok wants to make their search platform developments work, they will need to offer competitive pricing and features not available on Google for businesses to feel their advertising dollars won’t be wasted on the platform. 

They will also need to find a way to ensure app users do not feel detracted from their entertainment, because if they feel they are constantly being inundated by advertisements, overall app usage could decline.

Search vs Social 

While TikTok and Instagram have their strengths for certain types of searches, Google still excels in its niche for direct, Q & A style queries that social platforms simply can’t provide for now.

If you searched for something open-ended such as “Taylor Swift” on TikTok, you could easily swipe for hours and find no shortage of interesting things to watch, probably a lot more interesting things than whatever you would find on Google with the same prompt.

However, “what is the weather today” and “coffee shops close by” wouldn’t get you very far. Those searches would likely reveal videos of, I don’t know, some household device that can detect the weather outside, or videos of children singing nursery rhymes about the weather, or perhaps the “best coffee shop” in the world, which will most likely not be near you anyway.

Essentially, you won’t find what you’re looking for if you’re using a platform like TikTok to research direct, specific questions. 

The Power of Reddit

With over 1.5 billion registered users, Reddit (a play on words based on “I read it”) is a massive social news website and forum that is unique in its way of showing content based on a user upvote and downvote system. 

This means that the content shown first is typically upvoted by many people, which doesn’t necessarily mean it’s factually correct, but a lot of people agree with it or found the comment useful.

For this reason, almost 70% of respondents to a poll answered they “sometimes” or “often” append “Reddit” to their Google searches to narrow down the results and find what they’re really looking for. This is a simple but effective way to find real human opinions on subjects you’re interested in.

Take a look at this example where the benefit of appending “Reddit” to a search to find information is evident. First, I’ll type in “best laptops”, and I’ll get the following results. 

Note the large section of sponsored product images at the top, followed by several advertisement links right underneath. 

The laptops displayed may be the “best” at paying Google to feature their products, but whether they’re the actual best in terms of specs and what you need a laptop for is a whole other story!

Now, take a look at what happens when I append “Reddit” to my search. 

Note how all the sponsored product images and ads have now disappeared, and all that is left is organic results from real people with real opinions. 

Now, this isn’t to say that everything these people tell me about the best laptops will be factually correct. But, it will be someone’s unbiased, non-sponsored opinion on the subject, and that often counts for something.

FYI: it is also possible to advertise on Reddit, it can be a good way for companies to differentiate themselves from their competitors.

The New Google

Although Google isn’t going anywhere in the near future, the rapid evolution of Google as a search engine is upon us. Artificial intelligence has been an integral part of Google’s journey over the last few years, but it feels like we are reaching a turning point. 

Google uses artificial intelligence in its search engine in a number of ways. One key application of AI is in the algorithm that determines the ranking of search results. The algorithm uses machine learning techniques to analyze a wide range of signals, such as the content of web pages, the links between them, and user behavior, to determine the relevance and usefulness of each result. Additionally, Google uses natural language processing (NLP) to understand the intent behind user queries and provide more accurate and relevant results. Google also uses AI to generate featured snippets, which are concise summaries of information that appear at the top of search results.

These feature snippets led to a search phenomenon called the Zero Clicks. The increasing popularity of receiving one straightforward answer without needing to click anything or do any real searching has led Google to feature snippets of information at the top of Google search results. This has led to an astounding 49% of search results being zero-click searches. 

What does that mean, exactly?

It means that on almost half of the searches on Google, people are no longer having to click on websites to find the desired information. 

And, this phenomenon is expected to grow in the next few months as Google introduces BARD, it’s very own AI-assistant. It’s expected that the usual list of results, both paid and organic, will be replaced by a chat box where you can easily converse with an AI bot and get direct response to your queries. Google recently disclosed that the company is currently working on a brand new version of their search engine powered by artificial intelligence. 

According to Search Engine Land, the new search engine would be more conversational and “learn what users want to know based on what they search for.” Additionally, it would “provide lists of pre-selected options for items to purchase, information to research, and other information.”

The Effect of AI on Paid Search

The new AI functionalities could have a negative impact on paid search as people will rely more and more on AI-powered chatbots to answer their questions. 

That said, it’s very unlikely that Google will stand by watching as its advertising revenue declines. We can expect the search giants to introduce new offerings to advertisers in order to capitalize on AI-powered search. This could also mean fewer ad placements, and therefore higher ad costs. 

Other ad experts suggest that brands will need to invest more in brand awareness to make sure their brand stays top of mind for customers. When AI will serve them different options, they will likely pick a brand they’ve already heard of or are familiar with. 

All this to say, any business solely relying on paid search should aim to stay up to date on the current developments concerning the effects of AI on paid search and be ready to adapt its strategy accordingly.

The Effect of AI on SEO

Organic search results will also be affected by this AI revolution. As mentioned earlier, the “zero click” phenomenon directly impacts SEO strategies, one example being all the website content that can now be generated in seconds using tools like ChatGPT.

If the effects of AI on SEO interests you, be sure to check out our 2023 SEO trends blog post to read more. 

What Do These Changes in Search Mean for Marketers?

As zero-click searches continue to grow and social media becomes more important in search, along with the rise of AI, it’s crucial to adapt our strategies in various ways to maintain a steady flow of consumer traffic to our sites.

All this to say that that marketing strategy is going to have to change. Although there isn’t a straightforward, one size fits all answer to how to prepare for this new era in search, some suggestions would be as follows: 

1. Focus on improving your conversion rate optimization (CRO). Since there might be a reduction in traffic to your website, it is essential to increase the chances of a new visitor becoming a subscriber to your newsletter or any other content you create.
2. Expand your content offerings beyond text-based formats. In our opinion, there are certain topics for which Alexa or Google may not have the capacity to provide expert advice or opinions. Therefore, enhancing your video and audio content production in these areas could be beneficial depending on the kind of service you provide. 
3. Don’t give up on SEO, but change your SEO strategy. Short-tail keyword optimization will gradually become a thing of the past as Google will take the top search results for themselves and only feature snippets of their own information. With this in mind, focusing on long-tail keywords could be a good way to capture website traffic of users searching for more in depth information on topics.
4. Optimize your social media posts for search with keywords and hashtags.

All in all, the future of search is upon us and it is crucial to start thinking about the ways in which we can modify our marketing strategies to continue engaging our audiences despite the shifts in platforms people are using, and changes within those platforms themselves. 

Although these changes may seem daunting due to the uncertainty and unpredictability of it all, they are not all negative and should not dishearten us in the slightest. Marketing is here to stay! All these upcoming changes mean that there will be many opportunities for marketers to use these novel platforms to our advantage and venture into new and uncharted territories when it comes to targeting our audiences in creative and innovative ways.

If you think your business could use a hand navigating these changes, contact us and allow us to help you stay on track with your marketing objectives.