For years, when we wanted to find a business, research a product or answer a question, the obvious place to start was Google.
That behaviour isn’t disappearing – but it is changing.
Social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok are increasingly being used for discovery, with users searching for businesses, products, places, recommendations, advice and inspiration directly within their favourite social platforms.
For businesses, this represents an important shift.
Social media is no longer simply somewhere to post content. It’s becoming another place where your business needs to be found.
From Scrolling to Searching
Think about how people use social media today.
Someone looking for somewhere to eat might search TikTok for restaurants in their area. Someone considering a new product might look for Instagram Reels showing it in use. A potential customer might search a company’s name on social media before ever visiting its website.
The traditional customer journey of:
Google → Website → Enquiry
is becoming much more varied.
A modern customer journey might look more like:
TikTok → Instagram → Google → Website → Enquiry
Or:
Instagram → Website → Google Reviews → Enquiry
Every interaction contributes towards someone’s perception of your business.
That’s why an effective digital marketing strategy needs to consider the entire online presence of a brand rather than treating individual channels separately.
Why Are People Searching on Social Media?
One of the biggest advantages social platforms offer is visual discovery.
Google can provide hundreds of websites answering a question. TikTok and Instagram can show someone the answer immediately through video, imagery and real people demonstrating their experiences.
For consumers, this can feel quicker and more authentic.
If somebody wants to see what a restaurant actually looks like, understand how a product works or get an idea of what a company is like behind the scenes, social content can provide that information almost instantly.
For businesses, this creates an opportunity to demonstrate rather than simply describe.
Social Media SEO Is Becoming Increasingly Important
SEO has traditionally been associated with Google and other conventional search engines.
But many of the same principles are becoming relevant to social media marketing.
Platforms need to understand what your content is about before they can decide who might find it useful.
That means businesses should consider elements such as:
- Relevant keywords within captions
- Clear descriptions of products and services
- Location references where appropriate
- Video titles and on-screen text
- Relevant hashtags
- Profile names and biographies
- Consistent content around areas of expertise
A business providing a particular service in Milton Keynes, for example, shouldn’t rely solely on hashtags or assume the platform understands where it operates.
Creating content that naturally discusses the service, audience and location gives both users and platforms much more context.
What Does This Mean for Local Businesses?
This change is particularly interesting for businesses targeting specific geographical areas.
A potential customer looking for a business in Milton Keynes, Bedford, Northampton, Buckingham or Luton may now discover that company through several different channels.
Google remains enormously important, particularly when somebody has strong purchasing intent.
But social media can influence the customer much earlier.
They might discover a business through a Reel weeks before they actually require its services.
When the need eventually arises, that brand is already familiar.
This is where effective social media marketing and management becomes much more than simply maintaining an active feed.
You’re building digital familiarity.
You can explore our social media marketing offering here – Social Media Marketing Milton Keynes | Social Media Management Services
TikTok Has Changed What Business Content Looks Like
TikTok has played a major role in changing expectations around brand content.
Highly polished corporate content isn’t always what audiences want to see.
Educational videos, behind-the-scenes footage, demonstrations, opinions, quick explanations and personality-led content can often provide considerably more value.
For businesses, that creates an opportunity.
You don’t necessarily need enormous production budgets to create useful content. You need to understand what your audience wants to know, see or learn.
A manufacturer might demonstrate machinery in action.
A professional services company might answer common customer questions.
A retailer might showcase new products.
A local business might introduce its team or take viewers behind the scenes.
The best content gives someone a reason to stop scrolling.
Instagram Has Evolved Too
Instagram has undergone a similar transformation.
What was once predominantly an image-sharing platform now incorporates Reels, Stories, carousels, searchable captions, location information and direct messaging into the customer journey.
For businesses, this means an Instagram profile can effectively become a miniature digital storefront.
Someone discovering your business can quickly understand:
What do you do?
Who do you work with?
What does your work look like?
Are you active?
Do you appear credible?
How can I contact you?
Those questions can be answered before somebody ever reaches your website.
But Social Media Doesn’t Replace Google
This is an important distinction.
The growth of social search doesn’t mean businesses should abandon SEO or Google Search.
Quite the opposite.
It makes a connected digital presence even more important.
Someone might discover your company on TikTok and subsequently Google your business name.
What happens then?
Can they find you?
Does your website look professional?
Do your Google results reinforce the impression created on social media?
Are there useful service pages?
Are there case studies demonstrating your work?
Does your website clearly explain where you operate?
This is why SEO, website design, content and social media marketing should work together.
Each channel supports another stage of the customer’s decision-making process.
You can explore SEO with New Gen Media further here – Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) | New Gen Media
Your Website Remains the Digital Foundation
Social platforms change constantly.
Algorithms evolve. Features disappear. New platforms emerge.
Your website remains an online space that your business controls.
That’s why we see website design and SEO as the foundation of a wider digital marketing strategy.
Social media can create awareness and generate traffic, while a well-structured website gives that audience somewhere to learn more, explore services and ultimately make an enquiry.
Driving thousands of people towards a poor website isn’t an effective strategy.
Equally, having an excellent website that nobody discovers limits its potential.
The two need to work together.
Here is more about our web services – Web Design | New Gen Media
Search Is Becoming More Fragmented
Perhaps the biggest lesson for businesses is that there is no longer one place where customers search.
Google matters.
Instagram matters.
TikTok matters.
YouTube matters.
LinkedIn can matter enormously within B2B markets.
And new technologies, including AI-powered search and recommendation platforms, are creating even more ways for people to discover businesses.
Modern digital marketing therefore isn’t about choosing between SEO and social media.
It’s about understanding how your audience discovers, researches and ultimately chooses a business.
Is Your Business Searchable on Social Media?
There’s a very simple test.
Open Instagram or TikTok and search for the type of service your business provides alongside your location.
What appears?
Do your competitors show up?
Does your business?
Then search for your company name.
Would somebody seeing your profile for the first time immediately understand what you do?
If the answer is no, there’s an opportunity.
If you would like to explore our packages for social media marketing, you can find them here – Social Media Packages Milton Keynes | Social Media Management Pricing
Building a Digital Presence for Modern Search
At New Gen Media, we help businesses across Milton Keynes, Bedford, Northampton, Buckingham, Luton and surrounding areas build connected digital marketing strategies designed around how customers actually behave online.
From social media management and content creation to SEO, website design, paid advertising, branding and wider digital marketing, our approach connects individual marketing channels rather than treating them in isolation.
Because the future of search isn’t necessarily Google or social media.
It’s both – alongside an increasing number of other digital touchpoints.
The businesses that succeed will be those that make themselves easy to discover wherever their next customer decides to look.
Get in touch with us if you would like to explore further – Contact Digital Marketing & Social Media Agency Milton Keynes | New Gen Media
