How Consumers are embracing Social Search
Consumer behaviour is constantly evolving and adapting. Today, consumers have expanded opportunities to find the answers they are searching for, the main one they are using is social media. Over 25% of 18–54-year-olds prefer to use social media for searches, with nearly 40% of 18–24-year-olds opting to use social platforms over Google, when deciding where to eat.
Despite this obvious shift towards social media, traditional search engines still remain the go-to for answering consumers questions. However, there are multiple advantages to social search, including that consumers can find peer-driven, authentic reviews, with engaging video content. Social search tends to offer more of an experience, rather than being intent driven.
The best example of this is Pinterest, where users rarely search for specific brands, with only 3% of searches including brand terms. Consumers on Pinterest are seeking inspiration rather than seeking out preferred brands. Therefore, it is important for brands to resonate with consumers and build a connection. Consumers tend to ask open-ended questions while engaging in social search, this makes storytelling by the brand key.
With platforms like Tik Tok creating a shift to social search, it is important for brands to adapt their strategies. Social searches are not just about directing users to product pages like traditional search. Social platforms focus on creating a space for brands to engage with users from the early stages of the search journey. This shift in consumer behaviour is also reflected in the growing trend of social ad spending, which is expected to surpass search ad spend. In response, Google is now adjusting its search algorithms to prioritise more personalised and visual search results. The updates include Google Perspectives, which focuses on content from people with certain expertise and experience and reflects Google’s efforts to align its product offering to consumer behaviour.
What this means for Irish advertisers
For Irish advertisers, this shift towards social search will require a more dynamic approach to online marketing. The rise of social platforms, such as Tik Tok, Instagram and YouTube as search tools means that Irish brands need to expand their reach and presence beyond traditional search engines. This will require Irish advertisers to create content that resonates with their audience on an emotional level. Brands will need to adapt to a more holistic online approach, that accommodated a variety of search behaviours across different platforms. Social search provides new opportunities for Irish brands to build stronger and more authentic relationships with their audience and stay competitive in a rapidly changing digital landscape.
https://www.marketingcharts.com/advertising-trends/spending-and-spenders-233926
https://developers.google.com/codelabs/setup-perspective-api#0
