For years, Google has been the first place people go when they want to find information. But search behaviour is changing. These days, more and more individuals use social media sites like Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok to find information, goods, locations, and ideas in addition to connecting and consuming content. We call this change “social search.”

Instead of depending solely on conventional search engines, social search refers to using a social media platform to obtain information. Consider how individuals look these days. A person searching for a new skincare product might look up reviews on Instagram. A traveller may look for travel-related films on YouTube. To view actual images, videos, and client testimonials, a person searching for a restaurant may visit Instagram or TikTok. Social media sites offer genuine experiences and visual content from individuals and artists, which traditional search frequently cannot. AI is also changing how people discover information online. Read our blog on How AI is changing search to understand how search behaviour and digital discovery are evolving.

Research from Sprout Social found that 41% of Gen Z respondents in its 2025 survey said social media was their first place to search for information. The same research found that 37% of consumers preferred social platforms first when looking for product reviews and recommendations.

Social media is highly visual. Users can see products being demonstrated, destinations being explored, and experiences being shared through short videos, Reels and images. This can make information feel more practical and relatable.
Before making a choice, people frequently want to know what other people genuinely think. User-generated material, reviews, comments, and creator suggestions can offer more intimate experiences than conventional searches.
Social platforms continuously recommend content based on users’ interests. Instead of typing a detailed search query, users can discover relevant content through their feeds and then explore related topics. Younger users, particularly Gen Z, are an important part of this change. Recent 2026 research from HubSpot also identifies social search as a growing part of the discovery journey, particularly among younger consumers.

Traditional SEO is not going away because social search is becoming more popular. Instead, marketers should look beyond Google and take into account the actual search engines used by their target demographic.For businesses looking to improve their visibility on social platforms, a well-planned Instagram marketing strategy can help them create discoverable content, engage their audience, and build brand awareness.

Content should be created with discoverability in mind. This can include:

• Using relevant keywords in captions and video text

• Creating content that answers common questions

• Optimizing social media profiles

• Using relevant hashtags where appropriate

• Creating useful short-form videos

• Encouraging genuine reviews and user-generated content
  Social media is becoming part of the search journey because people don’t just want information—they want visuals,experiences,opinions from people. The future of digital marketing may therefore be less about choosing between search and social, and more about creating content that can be discovered across both.