The biggest change in search behaviour over the last few years has, interestingly, not actually been happening on ‘Search’ at all. Instead, the masses have been turning to Social platforms to perform searches with both overall and proportional volumes seeing significant rises.
The Drum, via Hubspot, shared that 1 in 3 people now use a Social platform to find answers to questions with 1 in 6 preferring the process to conventional Search altogether. Additionally, the biggest change to ‘the norm’ has come from Millennials and Gen Z with nearly two thirds preferring Social apps such as Reddit to Search Engines.
Considering that the demographic profiles of the biggest promoters of Social search are the two youngest then this ‘trend’ looks like it is not just here to stay, but will actually get even more pronounced over time.
One of the biggest causes of this is the meteoric rise of TikTok. According to sources there are 23 million TikTok users in the UK alone and they are rapidly catching up to the 35m Instagram users and 45m Facebook users. Not only is TikTok growing at twice the rate of either of these, it also has a 50% higher monthly time spent than Facebook and 300% higher time spent than Instagram.
This level of movement on one side of the market has created both concern and excitement in equal portion for most digital advertisers and the need for imminent adaptation is clear. However, although everyone agrees that there is a clear need to adapt to this new world, working out how exactly you should do that is another matter altogether…
Conventional search – Where do we stand now?
With all of the above pointing to a significant change in the status quo then it does beg the question: what does the future look like for Search Engines?
Having had things nearly all their own way for well over 10 years, the change in behaviours of Millennials and Gen Z has really turned things on their heads. The main trigger for this has undoubtedly been the rise of smartphones (specifically the convenience and familiarity of apps that they bring) and with that only set to bed in further with the next generations then a pivot to ensure continued relevance is absolutely necessary.
The biggest and most obvious move to address this looming imbalance is Google’s decision to forge a partnership with TikTok. The numbers outlined in the first few paragraphs showcase the sense behind a move and the real world output of this has been TikTok videos showing in Google Searches and vice versa. Specifically, on the Google side, TikTok videos are already present for any relevant searches, but more importantly they are (reportedly) set to play a big role in Google’s AI Overview (Search Generative Experience).
Google have put all of their eggs in the AI basket and bet that making the Search experience as immersive as possible is going to be what keeps them ahead. Incorporating high quality, relevant Social results not only aligns with making the experience more interactive, but also looks to appease the evolving needs of the latest generations (and almost certainly the generations to come!).
Continuing To Get The Most From PPC
Ultimately, the big changes here are across two areas: 1) Users searching through Social and 2) A change in the makeup of the SERP and the introduction of AI Overview. Realistically, from your PPC account there isn’t much you can do to impact Social searches, which means that you need to focus all of your efforts on what you can influence and in this instance that is the new results page and, in particular, AI Overview or SGE.
In order to make sure that you aren’t left behind then your account structure and focus needs to be built around leaning into the AI experience. Your aim has to be that your ads and products are appearing within the same Search experience that is going to incorporate Social and become ‘game-changingly appealing’ to the masses.
This means that following the new world PPC best practice is going to switch from a nice-to-have to an absolute must. Setting your account to maximise Google’s AI – Smart features, broad targeting, AI generated ads, full funnel campaigns – should ensure that you are well positioned for whatever changes come your way. Additionally, focusing on your brand (and product) and making sure that you are a genuine, high quality option for any searchers that might be relevant.
Embracing The New(ish) Kid On The Block: TikTok
Although the focus here is on Search, it would be remiss of me to not at least address the massive opportunity on TikTok.
More than ever, diversifying your ad portfolio is proving to be the best route to consistently delivering top tier performance whilst also avoiding any single platform issues (technical or political…). TikTok now stands out as a stellar option and although it is a staple for many of the very biggest brands out there, it still remains a gap for a huge portion of the market.
With the way the space is moving then getting on to TikTok has to be a priority. The growth is spectacular, the engagement is unparalleled, the potential for further growth (via Google) is clear, the platform continues to add innovative ad types and despite all that, the hesitancy of many brands to get involved means that there remains a ‘first mover advantage’ opportunity for a very high proportion of businesses were they to invest. If you aren’t on TikTok already then you really need to get on there ASAP.
Put concisely: In this market, you can’t afford not to be.
Change is afoot and the Search space as we know it is under a level of threat and pressure from Social platforms that it has never experienced before. However, as Digital Advertisers, our biggest strength in this position is that we aren’t tied to a single platform. We have complete flexibility to spend budget where it will perform best and this agility (when coupled with willingness) actually presents a massive opportunity.
It’s by no means time to abandon the PPC ship, but anyone using the platform needs to lean into the change whilst also being ready to capitalise on any opportunity that is presented. Having at least half an eye on how far your money could potentially go on the platforms (TikTok) that are the catalysts for this shockwave is an absolute must in this situation as well.
Remember, change is good, evolution is better and if you approach it with the right mindset then your bottom line will be there to thank you at the end of it!
If you have any questions on any of the above then please don’t hesitate to get in touch with one of the team.
