SOCIAL SEARCH
Social search has overtaken traditional search for product discovery. Buyers search TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and AI before they buy. The brand whose creator content answers those questions wins the sale.
spent on influencer marketing globally — most of it not optimised for search
daily searches on TikTok alone
of high-intent buyers search for social proof before purchasing
WHERE BUYERS SEARCH
Your buyers don't just Google anymore. They search TikTok for real reviews, YouTube for honest comparisons, Instagram for results, and AI for recommendations. If your creator content isn't there, a competitor's is.
of Gen Z use TikTok as their primary search engine
REAL BUYER SEARCHES
of consumers watch YouTube before making a purchase
REAL BUYER SEARCHES
of users discover new products on Instagram
REAL BUYER SEARCHES
Google searches now trigger an AI Overview response
REAL BUYER SEARCHES
THE NEW SEO
SEO optimises for search rankings. AEO optimises for being the answer — on TikTok, YouTube, Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT, and Perplexity. Creator content is the format that wins across all of them.
Creator videos briefed to answer the exact questions buyers type into TikTok and YouTube search. Optimised titles, hooks, and spoken keywords that rank.
Structured creator content that answers specific questions gets surfaced in Google's AI Overviews — the new position zero. Text content alone rarely makes it.
AI assistants recommend brands based on the quality and volume of content that answers buyer questions. More creator content = more AI recommendations.
TIKTOK SHOP & SOCIAL COMMERCE
TikTok Shop is not a new ad format. It is the commercial infrastructure that turns social search into direct commerce — and the halo effect means it lifts sales on Amazon, your website, and in physical retail simultaneously.
of US consumers use TikTok as a search engine
of Gen Z use TikTok as their primary search engine
of TikTok users discover products via the search bar
visibility lift with TikTok Shop SEO optimisation
THE THREE PATHWAYS FROM SEARCH TO SALE
User searches a product term. TikTok surfaces your listing in the Shop Tab. Direct purchase — driven by TikTok Shop SEO and product catalogue optimisation.
User searches a category. A creator's video surfaces. They watch, trust, and tap to buy — driven by creator content volume and the authenticity of peer recommendation.
User discovers on TikTok. Completes the purchase on Amazon or your website. The most commercially significant pathway — and the most systematically underestimated.
THE COMPOUNDING ADVANTAGE
Paid ads stop working the moment you stop spending. Creator content continues to surface in TikTok search results, drive organic discovery through the For You feed, and generate affiliate commissions months after publication. Every piece of creator content is a searchable, discoverable, revenue-generating asset that appreciates over time.
Paid Ad Lifespan
then it stops
Creator Content Lifespan
compounds over time
Paid Ad ROAS (apparent)
in-platform only
True ROAS with Halo
cross-channel full picture
YOUR SEARCH GAP
We'll map the exact questions your high-intent buyers are searching across TikTok, YouTube, Google, and AI — and show you whether you're the answer they find. Free. 48 hours.
Get Your Free Social Search Audit →