Social media is on the rise and has replaced Google as the dominant search engine.
Users are increasingly asking TikTok, Instagram and other social media platforms to answer their queries. Social media's personalized, conversational responses are they leaving Google SERPs behind?
TikTok has been the only search engine to end Google's 15 year reign as the most popular in the world. Google's 5.7 millions searches per minute aren't good enough to keep it on top.
We marketers are faced with a quandary. Many of us can't imagine saying goodbye to SEO. Others have already switched to their improved social media search strategy.
Let's not rush to conclusions.
Is it the right time to stop focusing on SEO and focus all our efforts on social media? Is this another trend that we should just wait for so Google can regain its glory?
Quick Takeaways
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According to a recent study, 40% of Gen Z users prefer TikTok or Instagram for searching information
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Search results are more interactive, personalized and engaging on social media platforms
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Social media is an important tool to reach audiences.
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Searching social media is a useful tool, but not as a stand-alone solution
Is social search the new Google Search? How to maximize the impact of your content marketing strategy.
What is SEO?
Let's begin with the basics.
Search engines rank content relevance based on traits such as:
- Comprehensiveness
- Freshness
- Easy of Use
Image source: WordStream
The algorithm is then tested and fine-tuned by the user. In most cases, however, basic searches are only an indicator of intent. Because it is designed by the mass, it is often incorrect.
What is Social Media Search?
Welcome to the new age of intent modelling. Social media is the driving force behind this new generation of search, which can also be referred to by other names such as social media search.
Search engines will increasingly be driven based on personal interactions such as:
- Voting
- Ranking
- Commenting
- Views
Search engines can better understand what the user (or viewer) is trying to say. This social layer gives search results a personalized touch.
The rise of social media content has a major impact on social media search. Content is being created as quickly as it is being consumed.
This phenomenon first caught my attention a few year ago when I was shopping for Halloween costumes. The top organic search result came from a Pinterest page. How could brands have missed such an opportunity? Why didn't Target, or the Halloween Store, do a better search for the algorithm that would pop up in my reader?
It's becoming increasingly difficult for brands to compete against the power of personal networks. According to Search Marketing Land a large percentage of the top 100 search results are generated by consumer-generated media, such as blogs and social networking sites.
Social media is important for brands. You're losing the battle for online attention if you still focus on outbound communication and SEO, without creating a social media arsenal.
The TikTok takeover
Google is still unmatched as the king of all search queries. No longer. Google shares its throne now with social media platforms.
Recent research shows that 40% Gen-Z prefer to search for information using TikTok or Instagram instead of Google.
Image source: ScreenRant
TikTok, with its shiny interface and endless stream of bite-sized video clips, has quickly become a new "it" place for Gen Z to find information.
Why not? Social media platforms provide a search experience:
- Personalised
- Engaging
- Interactive
These search engines allow users not only to find information, but also to interact with it. They can share it and discuss it with their friends. The social element of search is something traditional search engines do not have.
Let's also not forget the algorithms that select content based on your preferences and actions, making them an excellent tool for personalized searches. The search results are tailored to the user's tastes and interests, resulting in a more rewarding and enjoyable experience.
Social Media: The New Marketing Strategy
Does that mean you should also abandon your Google marketing strategy?
TikTok is the new hub for social media searches, but it won't do the heavy lifting. Understanding your customers, and creating content that is aligned with their interests and needs, are the keys to success. Cover all bases.
This can be in the form Instagram posts, LinkedIn posts, or TikTok videos. But we must not forget:
- Blog posts
- Podcasts
- Infographics
- Case studies
Content that represents your brand as well as the interests of your audience will increase traffic and engagement.
Content marketing strategies that are optimized for Google and social media searches can be crafted using strong marketing techniques, such as SEO and tagging. It will help you to appear in SERPs, social media searches and AI queries like ChatGPT.
While TikTok, Facebook, and other social media platforms are great tools to have, they're only one component of a well-rounded, comprehensive digital strategy. It's important to create a lot of content so that the digital world recognizes your brand.
Want more? Carrie Rose offers some great insights in the video below.
Video Source: Carrie Rose
Now What?
Social media search is a great addition to your SEO and paid search arsenal. Organic search is still the digital marketing channel with the highest ROI.
Image source: WebsiteBuilderExpert
The new search is all about building influencers, communities online, and social media at scale. Social media search is a tool that forward-thinking marketers use to better understand their client's social behavior and take action.
Social media search is discovery. Traditional search is validation. Social data is being used by brands to better understand consumer intent, and to send relevant information to consumers before they are aware of their interest.
Build Your Content Arsenal Now!
SEO and social media searches may share the spotlight, but this doesn't mean that you should overhaul your content marketing strategy. You need to create a lot of content that is high-quality and resonates with your audience if you want to really boost your digital presence.
Create content that engages your audience by incorporating social media into your strategy. Start today by checking our weekly blog service or scheduling a consultation to learn more.
Is SEO dead? Long Live Social Search The first to appear on Marketing Insider Group was Long Live Social Search!
Frequently Asked Questions
Social Media Marketing allows you to promote your company online. It's a great way to build brand awareness and generate leads. Here are five ways to use social media marketing to boost your business.
- A Facebook Fan Page allows you to interact with customers via Facebook. You can also upload content such as photos, videos, and other files.
- Twitter Promotes Your Business – Twitter can be used to promote your business and connect with others. To increase visibility, use hashtags
- Upload videos to YouTube – People love watching videos. If they like what is shown, they may click to visit you website.
- Host Live Events – Having live events allows you to meet face-to-face with potential clients. They can ask any questions about your services and products.
- Respond to Customer reviews – Positive customer reviews increase trust and promote repeat purchases. React quickly to negative comments.
How to Create an Ecommerce Marketing Plan
First, you need to decide what products or services you want to market. This should include products and services related to your business but also have enough variety to keep customers interested.
The second step is determining how much money you need to spend on advertising, promotions, and other marketing techniques. Multiple methods may be required, including direct mail, email blasts and social media sites. Search engine optimization is another option.
Once you determine how much money your business needs, you can develop a budget for each marketing method. A professional who specializes in emarketing might be able to help you choose the best marketing method for your company. They can help decide the best marketing strategy for your business.
Once you have a plan in place, it is time to implement it. This will make the process much easier if you hire someone to do all or part of the work.
Start from scratch, you don't have to reinvent the wheel. Rely on proven strategies that have been successful for other online stores. Before making any changes, make sure to test it all.
Never forget that your ultimate goal must be to increase sales or profits. Your eCommerce marketing strategy should consider both long-term and short-term goals.
Read our article about eCommerce Marketing Tips if you are looking to increase your sales. We hope you find them useful!
What is the difference of advertising and marketing?
Advertising is a form of communication that promotes products or brands. Advertising has a clear call of action. For example, “Buy now!” Or “Click Here.”
Marketing is another way to communicate the mission, vision and values of your company to potential customers. Marketing is also a way to establish relationships with potential customers and current customers.
You might use marketing to tell the world about yourself and your products if you sell footwear online. You could talk about your history, philosophy, and commitment to quality. You could also share testimonials from customers who are satisfied with your products. Perhaps you can even hold an event where people are encouraged to visit your website by giving away free shoes.
In short, marketing is about telling stories. Advertising is about selling things.
What budget should I set aside for my first campaign in digital marketing?
It all depends on the campaign you launch. Your initial campaign costs between $50 and 100.
To get started, advertising space can be bought on search engines Google and Bing. These ads typically cost $10 per click.
Banner advertisements can be placed on any website. This will help you attract new visitors and bring them back to your site.
You can also hire a freelancer for banner design. Freelancers usually charge between $20-$30 per hour.
Once you have created your ad, it is possible to start tracking your results. You can find many free analytics software on the internet.
You can also manually track data. To collect information about your campaigns, you can keep a spreadsheet where you record each metric (such as clicks, impressions, etc.)
You can then determine whether your campaign was a success by collecting these data.
If that is the case, you can still try different methods to find one that works.
What are the 7 steps of internet marketing strategy?
Internet marketing strategies can be used to reach business goals via online media. The seven essential steps of internet marketing include planning, research implementation, monitoring, analysis and optimization. Each step is critical for effective internet marketing, and should always be done.
- Planning – This step involves identifying your target audience and developing a plan for how you want to reach them. Consider the product or services you offer, as well as who might be interested.
- It helps you to understand your customer's interests and needs so you can decide which products or services will best suit their needs. It also gives you valuable insights into popular trends and consumer behavior.
- Implementation involves choosing a platform, such as Facebook, and deciding where to place ads. Once you've selected the platform(s), make sure they're properly configured. You can also decide whether you want to spend money or pay per click.
- Monitoring – Monitor your progress to ensure that you are able to see the results of your efforts. Google Analytics Analytics allows you to track traffic flows, conversions rates, and customer demographics.
- This allows you to compare results to benchmarks or previous performance levels. This step allows you to determine where your areas are weak and how to improve them.
- Optimization – Optimizing the site is about making improvements to make it more attractive to visitors. For example, you could add new features or change how users navigate your site.
- Evaluation – Evaluate your campaign's performance to see where it is at the moment. Are there opportunities to improve? If you don't, then you have probably reached your goal. If there are still problems that need to be addressed, you will need to reevaluate.
Why is it so important that your brand is defined?
Your company can simply call it a brand. A brand can promise certain characteristics and benefits that make your business stand out from its competitors. Your brand is what makes you stand out from other companies in your industry.
A brand gives you credibility and authority. Potential customers instantly recognize your company's logo when they see it. They trust your company because you have earned their respect.
Your company's culture also influences your brand. If your employees are passionately involved in your brand, then it is probably reflective of your passion for the product or service.
Your brand is more than just words and pictures. It's a promise that your company lives up to. It is your promise to offer value to your customers.
There are several things you should consider when developing your brand. You want your name to clearly describe what your company does. Sweet Dreams Bakery, for example, would be a great name for a bakery. However, if your company is a software one, DreamSpark Software would be the best choice.
Next, think about how your brand will look. Will you use a recognizable symbol? Are you going to use corporate colors? Are you going to use logos?
You'll also want to think about how your target audience sees your brand. Do you present yourself as helpful and friendly? Will you appear professional and trustworthy? Will you seem knowledgeable and experienced?
These are all important questions you should ask before building your brand.
What are some direct marketing examples?
Direct Marketing Examples include postcards, brochures, flyers, e-mails, etc.
Direct marketing helps reach people from anywhere, at any time. It is the best way to reach customers who already prefer your product or services over others.
Know what type of message would be most appealing to your target markets.
It is important to understand your customer's needs and give it to them.
Direct marketing can be used to promote your business in many different ways. You could mail catalogs to customers, or place ads in local newspapers.
Another option is to create a unique mailing list of your existing customers. With a solid contacts list, you can add new subscribers easily to your list.
Finally, you can ask your current customers if they'd like to receive promotional materials. You may receive special discounts if you sign up for company newsletters.
Statistics
- From 2020 to 2022, eMarketer predicts that digital marketing will grow by 36% and take up 54% of marketing budgets! (marketinginsidergroup.com)
- Meanwhile, a PartnerPath poll found that co-marketed ads help 68% of consumers arrive at a buying decision before even speaking to a salesperson. (influencermarketinghub.com)
- According to statistics, 60% of online shoppers worldwide actively search for coupons before purchasing from a virtual shop. (influencermarketinghub.com)
- This allows us to deliver CPCs that are 80% less than average and CTRs 4-5 times higher than average. (marketinginsidergroup.com)
- Companies that use personalization are seeing revenue increases ranging from 6-10%. (blog.hubspot.com)
External Links
hubspot.com
moz.com
- SEO Learning Center Moz
- [Case Study] How Moz Ranked #1 for High-Volume Keywords in Less Than 3 Months – Moz
youtube.com
influencermarketinghub.com
How To
Six Types of Ecommerce Marketing
How can I market my eCommerce store
Ecommerce marketing is one the most difficult marketing tasks. It requires that you understand your customers and their buying processes. You also need to understand how your products and service interact with them. This knowledge allows you to build an effective strategy to help you reach your goals.
There are six types eCommerce marketing strategies.
- Product Strategy – The first thing you need to do is decide which product you want. There are three major categories: physical goods (things), virtual goods (services) and membership sites. Once you have decided on the category you want to work in, you will need to decide if you are going to sell wholesale or retail. Wholesale pricing is when you decide the price at which you will sell your products. Retail pricing means that you charge your customers directly for your products.
- Pricing Strategy – Next, determine the amount you wish to make selling your products. You should consider profit margins, competition, shipping costs, taxes, etc. There are two ways to increase profits when pricing your products: decrease your cost per unit and/or increase sales volume.
- Promotion Strategy: Now comes what? It is important to create a promotion strategy that will work best for your company. One strategy is to offer free shipping and special discounts. You can also brainstorm new promotional ideas if you don't already have them.
- Shipping Strategy – Now that you know how to promote your product, you can think about how to get it to people. You can ship via USPS or FedEx. Do you prefer to use a fulfillment centre or are you able to do everything yourself?
- Merchandise Management System. This software allows you to track inventory, fulfill orders, track orders, and communicate effectively with suppliers. Depending on your needs and budget, you can choose from a variety of systems.
- Customer Service Strategy: Finally, it is important to create a customer-friendly strategy for your company. Will you provide telephone support or email support? Are customers able to contact you via chat, email, social media, and even postal mail?
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By: Lauren Basiura
Title: Is SEO Dead? Long Live Social Search!
Sourced From: marketinginsidergroup.com/search-marketing/is-seo-dead-long-live-social-search/
Published Date: Tue, 20 Jun 2023 13:00:00 +0000