Remember when search results were made of just 10 blue links? How things have evolved since then! Google search has been transformed over the years but the search landscape has also welcomed new players that are disrupting the market. In this article, we look at the complexity of the search landscape today and how businesses can adapt to keep reaching their audience and navigate potential future changes. We’ll discuss the following points:
- From Social Media to 'Social Search Engine'
- The Impact of Reddit on Google
- Visual Search, Voice Search and their AI Boost
- Navigating Recent Changes to Google and Their Impact on SEO
- The Impact of AI on Search
- How to Embrace the Future of Search
Introducing the Changing Search Landscape
In the ever-evolving digital landscape, the concept of search has undergone a transformative journey. Gone are the days when searching for information meant simply typing a query into Google and sifting through ten blue links. Today, search has transcended traditional boundaries, encompassing a myriad of innovative methods and technologies that cater to the dynamic needs of users. This evolution is reshaping how we access, interact with, and perceive information.
For example, image search is bridging our physical and digital worlds. If you spotted a cool jacket on a television show or series, once upon a time you would have had to manually describe the item into a search engine search bar. Not anymore. Now, it’s possible to snap a picture of the jacket with your phone and within seconds be directed to an online marketplace where you can buy it. But beyond image search, digital communication channels like social media platforms are changing the way we search and discover information. From Instagram hashtags to TikTok trends, these platforms are not just social hubs but part of the modern search landscape.
The landscape of search is becoming ever-increasingly multifaceted. Upcoming generations, who are now aptly named digital natives, leverage technology in ways that were unimaginable a decade ago. Their search behaviours are shaping the future, driving the demand for more intuitive, visually-driven, and interactive search experiences.
Plus, the advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) is profoundly impacting search and search engine optimisation (SEO). AI-powered algorithms and machine learning models are enhancing search accuracy, personalisation, and efficiency, making search engines smarter and more responsive to user intent.
As we delve deeper into the evolution of search, we'll explore the trends and technologies that are redefining how we find and interact with information and provide tips on how to stay up to date with the cutting-edge innovations shaping the future of search.
From Social Media to ‘Social Search Engine’
Social media sites are quickly becoming the go-to sources for discovery and information, with Adobe finding that 41% of American TikTok users have used the social media site as a search engine. Businesses need to ensure their SEO strategy aligns with this new shift in how different generations are consuming and discovering content.
Source: Adobe
The Rise of Social Media in Search
Social media sites like Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest, have transformed the search experience into a more visual, engaging and community-driven process. Instead of relying upon keyword-based searches, users now utilise the power of social sites, influencers and communities to discover new trends, products, ideas and information. The influence of content creators and influencers on these platforms can’t be overlooked – they are trusted experts, helping guide their followers’ purchasing decisions and significantly impacting brand visibility and consumer behaviour.
TikTok is Redefining Search
TikTok, with its highly engaging, easy-to-create video content is increasingly giving conventional search engines a run for their money with Google themselves sharing that 40% of young people now prefer TikTok over Google for search. But it’s not just Gen Z that love TikTok, research has found that 14% of Baby Boomers, 29% of Gen X and 49% of millennials love TikTok for searching for information too. Although Gen Z and millennials might sound young, it’s important to emphasise that the oldest Gen Z members will be turning 27 in 2024 and the oldest millennials will be turning 42 this year – so these statistics need to be taken seriously by businesses.
TikTok’s unique algorithm celebrates content discovery, making it easy for users to stumble upon new creators and brands organically through the ‘for you’ page. The appeal for TikTok lies in its accessibility for creators and brands to reach new audiences due to its users favouring completely authentic content over content that’s highly edited and corporate. This makes achieving success on the platform more accessible for brands no matter their budget.
TikTok has redefined search as we know it, with users increasingly turning to the platform to search for things such as places to eat, clothing trends, activity recommendations and more. Searching for ‘restaurants in London’ will result in an array of authentic-looking and engaging recommendation videos from big and small creators, with users able to easily save each video to a personalised collection for future reference. The transition from traditional search to social media platforms for discovery and entertainment reflects a broader trend towards more interactive and visually-driven content consumption.
Source: TikTok
Interestingly, TikTok isn’t just a place for e-commerce and D2C businesses, B2B can also thrive here. Ogilvy projected employee advocacy to be a key 2024 influencer trend, whereby companies put their own employees in front of the camera to expand their reach, both for attracting new clients and new talent. Plus, a 2023 study named social media as the most popular marketing tactic amongst B2B marketeers for contributing towards achieving top-of-funnel goals. Therefore, the power of social media for B2B shouldn’t be underestimated.
Source: Emarketer
Instagram’s Discovery & Explore Page
Instagram’s Discovery and Explore page have revolutionised how users find new content. Instagram’s algorithm tailors suggestions based on user behaviour to offer a completely unique and personalised feed to encourage exploration and discovery. For example, a user could search for ‘garden inspiration’ and discover an array of garden-related Instagram posts from businesses, influencers and users with open profiles. From there, they can save or engage with the post, follow the account or shop the post (if this is enabled). For B2C or D2C businesses, this is an excellent opportunity to reach potential customers at every stage of the buyer’s journey. Even if a user simply follows your Instagram page after seeing your post, your brand is likely to be front-of-mind when they are ready to purchase.
Source: Instagram
Pinterest; a Visual Search Engine
Pinterest allows users to search for inspiration and ideas through images rather than text. Its highly visual format and organised boards makes it an ideal platform for discovering new products and ideas. Users can easily ‘pin’ images to their own curated Pinterest boards as well as clicking through to a brand’s website from the particular image. For B2C and D2C businesses, Pinterest offers a unique opportunity to show their products in an inspirational format, perfect for businesses that sell high value ticket products and services. For example, a search of ‘lounge inspiration’ brings up inspirational images for a user to pin, as well as adverts for related products and services, including sofas and interior design services.
Source: Pinterest
What is the impact of Reddit on Google?
In recent years, Reddit, Quora, and various online forums have experienced a significant surge in organic search visibility, fundamentally altering the search landscape. These platforms, built on the foundation of user-generated content and first-hand experiences, have become invaluable resources for users seeking in-depth, authentic, and personalised information.
Reddit’s Rise in Popularity
Reddit, often dubbed "the front page of the internet," has seen its organic search presence skyrocket. According to Ahrefs, reddit.com’s global organic traffic increased by an impressive 610% over the past 12 months! The website is now getting an estimated 625 million visits from organic a month. Similarly, Quora, a platform where users can ask questions and receive answers from the community, has also seen impressive growth, although in a smaller proportion. According to Ahrefs, quora.com increased its organic traffic by 176% year on year reaching an estimated 5.8 million monthly visits worldwide.
Source: Ahrefs.com
The allure of these platforms lies in their ability to provide first-hand experiences and niche expertise. Users frequently turn to these forums for detailed answers and community-driven discussions, often preferring them over traditional web pages. This shift is evident in the search behaviour trends where users add "Reddit" to their search queries to find relevant, community-vetted answers. For example, a search for "best noise-cancelling headphones Reddit" indicates a clear preference for peer recommendations over standard product descriptions.
Reddit’s rise in popularity may also be in part thanks to the rise in AI generated content, and consequently, the rise of “fake news”. With users unable to verify what is factual versus what’s not, as Google’s own AI overviews came under fire for only recently, turning to entirely user-generated forums feels like a safer, more trustworthy option as searchers are more likely to find verified, realistic information.
Google's Preference for First-Hand Experience
Despite being left red-faced in the wake of their AI overviews using incorrect information, Google's own search algorithm has evolved to prioritise content that demonstrates first-hand experience and expertise. The E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) principle underscores this shift, rewarding content that showcases genuine user insights. Online forums excel in this regard, as they are rich with user-generated content that reflects personal experiences and detailed knowledge.
Reddit threads, Quora answers, and discussions on specialised forums often rank highly in search results because they offer nuanced perspectives that typical web articles might lack. For businesses, this trend underscores the importance of engaging with these platforms. By participating in relevant discussions and providing valuable input, businesses can enhance their visibility and credibility within their industry.
Business Opportunities
The explosion of forums in organic search presents both opportunities and challenges for businesses. On one hand, these platforms offer a treasure trove of user insights and feedback that can inform product development, marketing strategies, and customer service improvements. On the other hand, businesses must navigate the challenge of maintaining a positive presence in these often candid and unfiltered environments.
To leverage this trend, businesses must:
- Monitor and Participate: Regularly monitor relevant discussions on platforms like Reddit and Quora. Participate authentically by providing valuable insights and addressing user concerns without overtly promoting products.
- Leverage User Feedback: Use the feedback and discussions on these forums to gain insights into customer preferences and pain points. This can inform product development and marketing strategies.
- Create Valuable Content: Develop content that addresses common questions and concerns found in forum discussions. This can help drive traffic to your site while providing useful information to users.
- Engage Influencers: Collaborate with influencers and respected members within these communities to enhance credibility and reach.
The increasing prominence of Reddit, Quora, and other forums in organic search highlights a shift towards valuing authentic, experience-based content. For businesses, understanding, adapting and utilising this trend is crucial for maintaining a competitive edge.
Visual Search, Voice Search and their AI Boost
Voice and visual search technologies have overhauled how users interact with search engines, offering more intuitive and efficient ways to find information. These advancements, powered by artificial intelligence (AI), are reshaping SEO strategies and presenting new opportunities for businesses to engage with their audiences.
Popularity and Usage
Despite an initially slow uptake, voice search is now beginning to gain significant traction with the widespread adoption of smart speakers like Amazon Echo and Google Home, as well as voice assistants like Siri and Google Assistant. In their recent WWDC, Apple’s inclusion of GPT4 features within its built-in smart assistant, Siri, has now provided users with even easier functions for search as Siri will be able to understand entirely natural language queries, making it a much more convenient option for hands-free searches and quick information retrieval. It’s clear the developments in AI technology have allowed big improvements in voice search which has increased its adoption amongst consumers. SEMrush reports that 50% of US consumers use voice search every day and 45% use voice on their smartphones to discover information (vs. 34% of UK consumers).
Visual search, on the other hand, leverages AI to interpret images and provide relevant results. Tools like Google Lens have increased in popularity with Google reporting 12 billion searches a month, a 4x increase within just two years! Google Lens allows users to take pictures or use existing images to search for information. For instance, circling an object with a Pixel phone or scanning a product with Google Lens can instantly provide details about the item, including purchase options and user reviews. Visual search is particularly popular in areas like shopping, fashion, and home decor, where users seek inspiration and product information through images.
Source: Google
AI Integration in Voice and Visual Search
AI plays a crucial role in enhancing both voice and visual search capabilities. In voice search, AI-driven natural language processing (NLP) enables search engines to understand and process spoken queries accurately. This technology can interpret context, identify user intent, and deliver precise results, making voice search a seamless and user-friendly experience.
Visual search meanwhile utilises AI algorithms to analyse images, recognise objects, and generate relevant search results. Machine learning models are trained on vast datasets to improve their accuracy and effectiveness. For example, Google Lens can identify landmarks, plants, animals, and even translate text from images, demonstrating the versatility and power of AI in visual search.
While both voice and visual search offer unique benefits, their popularity varies depending on the context of use. Voice search is widely used for general queries, navigation, and simple tasks, making it a popular choice for everyday use. Visual search, however, excels in scenarios where users need to identify or find products, get visual inspiration, or understand complex visual information.
Impact on SEO
The rise of voice and visual search has significant implications for SEO strategies:
- Voice Search SEO: Optimising for voice search requires a focus on natural language and conversational keywords. Content needs to address common voice queries, often framed as questions. Structured data and featured snippets are crucial, as they provide concise answers that voice assistants can easily retrieve.
- Visual Search SEO: Visual search optimisation involves using high-quality images, descriptive alt text, and relevant metadata. Businesses should ensure their visual content is easily discoverable and provides detailed information about the products or services depicted. Integrating visual search capabilities into websites and apps can also enhance user engagement and drive traffic.
Opportunities for Businesses
For businesses, the growing popularity of voice and visual search means adapting their digital strategies to cater to these new search behaviours:
- Enhance Mobile Experience: Ensure websites are mobile-friendly and optimised for quick loading times, as voice and visual searches are predominantly conducted on mobile devices.
- Leverage Structured Data: Implement structured data markup to help search engines understand and display content effectively, increasing the chances of appearing in voice search results and visual search indexes.
- Create Conversational Content: Develop content that mimics natural speech patterns, addressing common questions and providing clear, concise answers to cater to voice search users.
- Optimise Visual Content: Use high-quality images with descriptive alt text and metadata. Incorporate visual search tools like Google Lens into your digital strategy to facilitate product discovery and enhance user experience.
- Stay Updated with AI Trends: Keep abreast of AI advancements and integrate new technologies that enhance voice and visual search capabilities, ensuring your business remains competitive in the evolving search landscape.
The integration of AI in voice and visual search is redefining how users interact with search engines and access information. At Innovation Visual, we work with our clients to embrace these technologies and adapt their SEO strategies accordingly so they’re well-positioned to capture the attention of modern consumers and drive meaningful engagement.
Navigating Recent Changes to Google and Their Impact on SEO
Google's search engine results pages (SERPs) have evolved dramatically, becoming increasingly complex and dynamic. This transformation has significant implications for search engine optimisation (SEO) strategies, as businesses must now navigate a multifaceted digital landscape to maintain visibility and drive traffic. Understanding these changes and how to leverage them effectively is crucial for staying competitive.
If you’d like more context on the recent changes to Google’s search engine, we highly recommend reading this excellent article discussing whether Google is broken.
The Evolving SERPs Landscape
Gone are the days when Google's SERPs were dominated by a simple list of ten blue links. Today's SERPs are a rich tapestry of diverse features designed to enhance user experience and provide more comprehensive information. Key elements now appearing on SERPs include:
- Ads: Paid advertisements remain a prominent feature at the top and bottom of search results, often taking up significant real estate. These ads are highly targeted and designed to capture user attention, pushing organic results further down the page.
- Featured Snippets / Knowledge Graph: Featured snippets, also known as position zero, provide concise answers to user queries directly on the SERP. The Knowledge Graph offers detailed information about entities, such as people, places, and things, often displayed in a sidebar or top-of-page panel.
- Shopping Results: Google Shopping ads display product images, prices, and links to purchase directly from the SERP. This feature is particularly prominent for commercial queries, offering users a quick way to compare products and make purchases.
- Videos: Video results, often from YouTube, are increasingly common, especially for queries related to how-to guides, reviews, and entertainment. These results include video thumbnails and timestamps, making them visually engaging.
- Google Discover: A personalised content feed that surfaces articles, videos, and other content based on user interests and previous search behaviour. This feature aims to proactively provide information users may find interesting or useful.
- Forums & Discussions: With the rising popularity of platforms like Reddit and Quora, forum discussions are now frequently featured in SERPs. These results provide users with first-hand experiences and community-driven insights.
- AI Overviews: AI-generated overviews offer synthesised information from various sources, providing users with a quick, comprehensive summary of their query. This feature aims to streamline information retrieval by presenting a coherent answer without the need to click through multiple links.
Implications for SEO
The increasing complexity of SERPs necessitates a more sophisticated approach to SEO. Here are the key implications and strategies businesses should consider:
- Diverse Content Optimisation: To achieve visibility across different SERP features, businesses must diversify their content. This includes optimising for featured snippets by creating concise, informative content, producing high-quality videos for video results, and ensuring product listings are optimised for Google Shopping.
- Enhanced User Experience: Google prioritises content that provides a superior user experience. This means focusing on page speed, mobile-friendliness, and easy navigation. Structured data markup can also help search engines understand and present your content more effectively.
- Engaging Visual Content: With the prominence of images and videos in search results, incorporating engaging visual content into your SEO strategy is essential. High-quality images with descriptive alt text and video content optimised for search can improve visibility and user engagement.
- Leveraging AI and Machine Learning: Stay updated on Google's AI advancements and understand how these technologies impact search. Optimise content for AI-generated overviews by ensuring it is comprehensive, authoritative, and well-structured.
- Active Participation in Forums: Engage in relevant discussions on forums like Reddit and Quora to build credibility and drive traffic. Monitoring these platforms for trending topics and user concerns can also provide valuable insights for content creation.
- Utilising Google Discover: To appear in Google Discover, create high-quality, engaging content that resonates with your target audience. Regularly updating your content and using captivating visuals can increase the likelihood of being featured.
The Impact of AI on Search: Navigating the Future
Artificial intelligence (AI) continues to shape the future of search, introducing new dynamics and transforming user interactions with search engines. Recent updates and the rise of AI-powered tools like Google Search Generative Experience (SGE) and ChatGPT are significantly impacting search behaviours and the SEO landscape. Understanding these developments is crucial for businesses aiming to stay ahead in the digital age.
Google SGE/AIO Updates
Google's Search Generative Experience (SGE), part of its AI-driven initiatives, represents a significant leap forward in how search results are generated and presented. SGE integrates advanced AI capabilities to deliver more nuanced and contextually relevant search results. It aims to understand user intent better and provide richer, more informative responses by synthesising information from multiple sources.
Following an extensive trial period, Google renamed SGE AI overviews and launched the new feature in the USA in May 2024. Although temporarily rolled back, AI Overviews (AIO) are expected to re-emerge in a more refined form. These overviews aim to provide concise, synthesised answers to user queries, reducing the need to click through multiple links to gather information. According to Sparktoro, these AI-generated summaries have not yet significantly changed user behaviour, but as the technology improves and becomes more integrated into search results, its impact is likely to grow.
Source: Google
The implications for SEO are profound. While the exact methods for optimising content to rank within these AI overviews are still evolving, it's clear that high-quality, comprehensive, and authoritative content will remain paramount. For detailed strategies on optimising for AI-driven search features, take a look at our previous articles on the subject.
- SGE – What is it & How to Prepare
- How AI is Changing Marketing
- The Future of AI in Search
- Engaging your Audience Among GenAI Noise
The Rise of ChatGPT and Chatbots
The increasing use of AI chatbots, particularly ChatGPT, is revolutionising how users seek information online. ChatGPT and similar AI-driven conversational agents offer users an interactive and intuitive way to get answers, often bypassing traditional search engines altogether. These chatbots provide personalised responses, engage in complex queries, and deliver information in a conversational format that many users find convenient and user-friendly.
As users grow accustomed to this new way of searching, businesses must consider how it affects their digital strategy. The rise of chatbots means that:
- Content Needs to Be Conversational: To engage effectively with users who rely on chatbots, content should be created as easily digestible and conversational in tone. This can help AI tools understand and utilise the content more effectively in their responses.
- Focus on User Intent: Understanding and addressing user intent becomes even more critical. Content should be tailored to anticipate and directly answer the types of questions users are likely to ask AI-driven chatbots.
- Enhanced User Experience: Providing a seamless and positive user experience on websites and digital platforms is essential. Users who interact with chatbots expect quick and accurate responses, so ensuring your content is well-structured and easily accessible is crucial.
- Adaptation to AI Recommendations: Businesses should be prepared to adapt their strategies based on insights from AI tools. AI can provide valuable data on user preferences and behaviour, helping businesses refine their content and marketing approaches.
As we write this piece, ChatGPT have released their own search engine called SearchGPT. This could move more people away from Google depending on how good the search experience is. It’s still presented as a prototype but will surely evolve rapidly as ChatGPT has done. Our team will be studying this new search engine closely to understand how businesses can maximise it to reach their audience. Watch this space!
Embrace the Future of Search, Now
Far from being dead, SEO is very much alive and evolving. The changes in search, driven by AI advancements and shifting user behaviours, do not signify the end of SEO but rather its transformation. Search Engine Optimisation is evolving towards Search Optimisation which bypasses platforms and formats to concentrate on where people go to find answers. Traditional SEO practices focusing solely on keywords and backlinks are no longer sufficient. Instead, the emphasis is shifting towards creating high-quality, user-centric content, optimising for diverse search formats and platforms, and leveraging AI and machine learning insights. SEO continues to be a crucial component of digital strategy, but it requires adaptability and a forward-thinking approach to remain effective in this dynamic landscape.
How Businesses Should Adapt for Changes in Search
For B2B Businesses:
- Focus on High-Quality Content: Develop a comprehensive content strategy that focuses on addressing the specific needs and challenges of your industry. Build topical authority around the subjects your audience care about. Don’t see content as written text only and embrace multiple formats to engage your audience where they are online.
- Optimise for Voice and Visual Search: Ensure your content is accessible and optimised for various search formats, including voice and visual searches. The importance of one or the other will depend on your industry.
- Leverage AI Tools: Utilise AI-driven tools for insights into user behaviour and preferences, helping to refine and enhance your search strategies.
For B2C Businesses:
- Engage on Multiple Platforms: Be present and active on social media, forums, and other platforms where your audience seeks information.
- Enhance Visual Content: Invest in high-quality images and videos that can be easily discovered through visual search tools like Google Lens.
- Personalise User Experience: Use AI to provide personalised recommendations and improve the overall user experience on your digital platforms.
How Innovation Visual Can Help
At Innovation Visual, we specialise in navigating the complexities of modern SEO and digital marketing. Here’s how we can support your business:
- Comprehensive SEO Strategy: We develop tailored SEO strategies that align with the latest trends and technologies, ensuring your business stays ahead of the curve.
- Content Optimisation: Our team creates and optimises content that not only ranks well but also engages and converts your target audience across different search formats.
- AI and Data Insights: We leverage AI and advanced analytics to gain deep insights into user behaviour, helping you make data-driven decisions and refine your marketing strategies.
- Multichannel Approach: From optimising for voice and visual search to managing your presence on forums and social media, we ensure your business is visible and relevant across all channels that matter to your audience.
- Ongoing Support and Adaptation: The digital landscape is constantly changing, and we provide continuous support and adaptation to keep your strategies effective and up to date.
By partnering with Innovation Visual, you can confidently navigate the evolving world of search, harness the power of AI and new technologies to drive business growth and beat your competition. SEO is not dead; it’s transforming, so let us support your business to thrive in this exciting new era of search.
