Google continues to remain the most powerful search engine in the world, but the way people search is shifting. Younger audiences are turning to platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube to Social Search as their first stop when looking for products, services, and recommendations.
This doesn’t reduce the importance of SEO; In fact, it makes it more essential than ever. Social platforms may be shaping discovery, but Google provides trust at the beginning of the research stage. The most effective digital marketing strategies now combine SEO, PPC, and social search, creating visibility at every point in the customer journey.
Social Search Is Growing
TikTok has rapidly became more than an entertainment platform. According to Forbes, almost 40% of Gen Z prefer TikTok Search or Instagram over Google Maps when searching for a place to eat. Social Search are now being used in the same way we use search engines – to answer questions, solve problems, and sway decisions.
The connection between social and SEO has also become stronger. As of July 2025, Google now indexes Instagram content, including public posts, Reels, captions and alt text. This means your Instagram content doesn’t just stay on the app; it appears directly on a Google search adding to your brand visibility.
Why SEO Still Matters?
The rise is TikTok since the pandemic has totally shaped how users search journeys begin. Although, Google remains the place where trust is built. A customer may see your brand on TikTok, but the next step is to check your reviews on Google, or check out your website. If you’re not visible in those results, the opportunity is lost, leading to a damper in your brand visibility.
This is why SEO will continue to be the foundation of digital marketing. Having high hanks on google for relevant keyworks leads to long term brand visibility. Pairing this with a PPC campaign which encourages your business remains visible in a highly competitive space or help appear in front of the right audience at the right time. SEO remains essential in turning discovery into action despite the growth of social search.
For Glasgow companies, investing in local SEO services in Glasgow along with PPC management in Glasgow, will ensure brand visibility where it is needed most, both on search engines and social platforms.
Making Social Content Work Harder
The good news is that businesses can take steps to align their SEO, PPC, and social strategies.
- Repurpose content across channels: A TikTok or Instagram Reel can be added to a blog post to improve engagement. Comments can be turned into FAQs that create target keywords. This type of content repurposing also boosts brand visibility across different platforms.
- Optimise social posts for SEO: Use captions that reflect how people search, apply alt text and geo tags to each post and ensure social bios clearly state what you do and where you are. This is important for businesses looking to grow their brand visibility.
- Use data to inform strategy: Tools such as TikTok Creative Centre and Hashtagify help identify trending searches and hashtags to help boost brand visibility. These insights can aid your keyword research for both SEO and PPC.
- Track everything: By applying UTM links to social posts, you can measure how much traffic each platform drives and how it contributes alongside organic and paid search. By using UTMs to track your brand visibility through social search, you can align your organic, paid, and social channels. This not only helps identify which platforms deliver the best return on investment, but also ensures your SEO, PPC, and social strategies are working together to guide customers through the journey from discovery to conversion.
Short-form video content is extremely powerful in this context. Creating snappy, helpful videos that answer specific questions, mirrors the way people search on both TikTok Search and Google. Adding subtitles and text overlays boosts visibility and accessibility.
SEO + PPC + Social
A typical customer journey may begin with a TikTok Search, move to a Google search for reviews, and end with a PPC ad offering a discount. Each stage is critical. Without TikTok, there’s no discovery. Without SEO, there’s no trust. Without PPC, there’s a hinderance to conversations.
For local companies, a Glasgow digital marketing agency can help ensure every stage of your journey is covered, from discovery on TikTok and Instagram, to SEO visibility on Google, to PPC campaigns that help conversion.
This joined-up approach ensures that your brand is visible, credible, and competitive across every channel. It also creates consistent messaging and maximises return on investment. By aligning SEO, PPC, and social search, you meet people wherever they search – whether that’s on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Google.
Final Thoughts
Search behaviour is forever evolving, but the basics remain the same. People want clear, useful, and genuine information wherever they choose to look for it. Google continues to lead, but TikTok Search, Instagram, and YouTube are now shaping how discovery begins.
The smartest strategy is not to treat these platforms as competitors but to view them as partners. SEO builds authority, PPC aids visibility, and social creates discovery. Together, they form a powerful combination that delivers results and strengthens brand visibility.
If you’d like to explore how our Glasgow marketing agency can help your business align SEO, PPC, and social search, get in touch with our team today.