Is Social Media the new Google?
Google isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, despite what some marketing gurus on LinkedIn would like you to believe. People still use it every day and it remains an incredibly powerful search tool. But what is changing is where people go first when they’re looking for information, recommendations, reviews and inspiration.
More and more people are skipping Google altogether and heading straight to social media. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, Facebook and even LinkedIn have become search engines in their own right. Whether someone is looking for a local café, a wedding photographer, a skincare recommendation, holiday inspiration or a review of a product they’ve been eyeing up for weeks, they’re increasingly turning to social media for answers.
Really it makes perfect sense.
When people search on Google, they often end up scrolling through pages of websites that are all desperately trying to sell them something. Or worse, they get an AI Overview, which can sometimes be shockingly inaccurate. When they search on social media, they get something completely different. They get real people sharing real experiences. They can watch the product being used, hear genuine opinions, see results, and get a much better feel for whether something is actually worth their time and money.
We trust people far more than we trust adverts, we always have.
Why Are People Searching on Social Media?
Think about the last time you wanted a recommendation.
Maybe you were looking for somewhere to eat, a new gym, a holiday destination or a gift for someone who’s impossible to buy for. There’s a good chance you didn’t type a perfectly crafted search term into Google and spend the next hour opening seventeen tabs to compare websites. Honestly, whenever I think about searching that way, I’m transported straight back to the days of printing out holiday itineraries, stuffing them into a folder and carrying them around like a travel agent in training. It feels clunky now. People want answers quickly, and social media often gets them there faster.
Instead, you probably opened TikTok or Instagram and searched for something like “best brunch spots in Aberdeen”, “honest review of…” or “small business gift ideas.” Within seconds, you’re watching real people share their experiences, recommendations and opinions. Rather than sifting through pages of websites, you can instantly see what’s worth your time, what’s worth your money and, perhaps most importantly, what other people genuinely think before making a decision.
The reason is simple: social media gives us context.
Instead of being presented with a list of websites and hoping one of them has the answer we’re looking for, we’re presented with real experiences from real people. We can watch someone unbox the product we’re considering buying, see the results for ourselves, read comments from other customers and hear honest opinions from people who’ve already spent their money on it.
Whether it’s a restaurant recommendation, a local service provider or a product you’ve been eyeing up for weeks, social media allows us to see it in action before making a decision. We get the story behind the recommendation, not just the sales pitch.
In many ways, it’s simply word-of-mouth marketing on a much bigger scale. And for small businesses, that’s a huge opportunity. Because when people are actively searching for recommendations, expertise and experiences, showing up with helpful, authentic content can put your business in front of exactly the right audience at exactly the right time.
What Does This Mean for Small Businesses?
For years, businesses were told that being found online was all about SEO. Keywords, backlinks, metadata, page rankings and a whole host of terms that sound mildly threatening if you’re not a marketer.
Those things still matter. A good website is still important and traditional search isn’t disappearing.
But social media is now playing a much bigger role in how people discover businesses, which means your content has the potential to work much harder for you than simply filling up your Instagram grid.
Every post, reel, carousel and video becomes a chance to be discovered by someone actively looking for what you offer. The businesses that are thriving right now aren’t necessarily the ones with the biggest budgets or the fanciest websites. They’re the ones creating useful, valuable content that answers questions and helps people make decisions.
The exciting part is that this levels the playing field. You don’t need a massive marketing department or a six figure advertising budget. You just need to consistently show up and share content that helps your audience.
Which is considerably more achievable than becoming a viral sensation overnight.
So What Are People Actually Searching For?
The short answer is: pretty much everything.
People are searching social media for product recommendations, local businesses, tutorials, reviews, travel inspiration, service providers, restaurants, wedding suppliers, fitness advice, skincare routines and gift ideas. They’re searching for answers to questions they haven’t even fully figured out how to ask yet.
The difference is that they’re not always searching for businesses directly.
They’re searching for solutions.
Someone isn’t necessarily typing “marketing agency near me.” They might be searching for “why isn’t my Instagram growing?” or “how do I attract more customers to my business?” If your content provides the answer, you’ve just introduced your business to someone who may never have found you otherwise.
That’s the real power of social search.
Searchable Content Doesn’t Have to Be Boring
This is where many business owners get stuck. The moment they hear the word “search” they immediately picture dry, keyword-stuffed content that sounds like it was written by a robot having a particularly bad day.
Thankfully that’s not what we’re talking about.
Searchable content can still be entertaining, funny, engaging and packed with personality. In fact, personality is often the thing that makes people stop scrolling and pay attention in the first place.
The best content usually sits somewhere between helpful and human. It’s answering questions your audience genuinely has, while still sounding like you. That might mean sharing common mistakes people make before hiring your service, busting industry myths, explaining your process, answering frequently asked questions or giving people a behind-the-scenes look at how you work.
Useful content gets discovered. Human content gets remembered. The sweet spot is doing both.
Small Businesses Have a Secret Weapon
The funny thing about this move towards social search is that it actually plays to the strengths of small businesses. Big brands often struggle to feel human. Their content has usually been reviewed, approved and polished to within an inch of its life. It can end up feeling safe, predictable and a little bit bland.
Small businesses don’t have that problem.
You have stories, opinions, experiences, expertise and personality. You have quirks. You have a unique perspective. You have a reason for starting your business and a genuine passion for what you do and all of those things help build trust.
When someone discovers your content through a search and immediately feels like they know who you are, you’ve already started building a relationship. That’s incredibly difficult for larger brands to replicate and it’s one of the biggest advantages small businesses have right now.
The Future of Search is Looking a Lot More Human
For years, businesses focused on getting found by algorithms. Increasingly, the focus is shifting towards getting found by people.
- People who are looking for recommendations.
- People who want proof before they buy.
- People who value real experiences over polished sales messages.
- People who are actively searching for businesses they can trust.
That’s why social media can no longer be treated as an optional extra or something you only think about when you’ve got a spare ten minutes and a sudden burst of motivation. It’s becoming one of the primary ways people discover brands, build trust and make buying decisions.
And if your audience is already searching on social media, the question isn’t whether you should be showing up there.
It’s whether they’ll find you when they do.
Ready to Get Found?
At Heyday, we help small businesses create social media strategies that do more than simply keep the content calendar ticking over.
We create content designed to connect with the right people, build trust and increase visibility in all the places your audience is already searching. Because while the platforms may be changing, one thing remains exactly the same:
People buy from businesses they know, like and trust.
So if your current social media strategy is held together with crossed fingers, vague optimism and the occasional panic-posting session, let’s talk.
We’ll help you create content that’s discoverable, strategic and unmistakably you.
Because social media isn’t just where people scroll anymore, It’s where they search.
Serena, Heyday