Latest / Social Media Marketing with Fexingo: Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and Platform Strategy / Why Brands Are Treating Social Media Like Search Engines
Transcript
- Lucas: So there's this shift happening that's quietly rewriting how brands think about content. A survey from earlier this year found that nearly half of Gen Z now use TikTok or Instagram as their first stop for search instead of Google. Luna: That number keeps climbing. I've definitely caught myself typing 'best mascara' into Instagram search before even opening Google. Lucas: Exactly. And for brands, that changes the game. If your content isn't optimized for discovery within the platform's own search algorithm, you're invisible to a huge chunk of potential customers — especially younger ones. Luna: So we're talking about social SEO as a real discipline now, not just hashtag stuffing. Lucas: Right. Hashtags are still a factor, but platforms are getting smarter. They parse the text in your caption, your video transcript, even the alt text you add. So the same keyword research a brand might do for Google Ads is now directly applicable to Instagram and TikTok. Luna: I've seen brands like Stitch Fix actually rethinking their entire content calendar around search intent. Instead of just posting a seasonal outfit, they're answering specific questions like 'what to wear to a summer wedding' or 'business casual for humid weather'. Lucas: That's a great example. They're basically treating each post as a landing page for a search query. And the numbers back it up — Stitch Fix reported a 30% increase in profile visits from search within three months of adopting that approach. Luna: What about smaller brands? Can a startup with no budget for keyword tools compete? Lucas: Absolutely. The free version of TikTok's search bar autocomplete is basically a keyword research tool. Type in a broad term like 'skincare routine' and see what people are actually searching for. Then make content that directly addresses those sub-queries. Luna: So it's about matching the language your audience uses, even if that means ditching the brand's internal jargon. Lucas: Exactly. And one thing I've noticed is the importance of the first few seconds. On TikTok, the spoken words in the first two seconds are heavily weighted by the algorithm for search ranking. So you want to state the search query right at the start. Luna: I've seen cookware brand Our Place do this really well. Their videos often start with 'How to season a cast iron skillet' — the exact phrase someone would type in. Lucas: That's smart. And it's not just captions and audio. Alt text on images is another overlooked signal. Instagram allows you to add descriptive alt text, and while it's primarily for accessibility, the platform reads that text and uses it for search indexing too. Luna: But does this mean brands should just keyword-stuff their captions? Because that seems like a bad user experience. Lucas: Definitely not. The algorithm penalizes spammy behavior. The key is to write naturally while weaving in the target keywords. Think of it as writing for humans first, but being intentional about the words that help the platform understand what the content is about. Luna: So it's a balance between creativity and data-driven optimization. Lucas: Right. And this shift is forcing brands to collaborate more closely between their social and SEO teams. In the past, those were totally separate silos. Now, the same keyword research that drives the website content should inform social captions, video titles, even the hashtags you choose. Luna: I've heard of some brands creating a shared keyword bank that both teams access. Lucas: Exactly. And it's not just about driving discovery within the platform. When someone searches for a product on TikTok and finds a brand's video, that video can link directly to the website or a product page in the bio. So it's a direct funnel now, not just brand awareness. Luna: Do you see this trend accelerating as platforms add more shopping features? Lucas: Absolutely. TikTok Shop and Instagram Checkout make the conversion path shorter. But for that to work, the search discovery has to happen first. So brands that invest in social SEO now are basically building an asset that compounds over time. Luna: It sounds like a lot of work. Is it worth it for a brand that's just starting out? Lucas: Honestly, it's one of the highest-leverage activities for a small brand. Organic search traffic is free. And because the competition for search on social is still lower than on Google, a well-optimized video can rank for a medium-volume keyword and bring in sustained views for months. Luna: That's a good point. On Google, you're competing with billions of pages. On TikTok, the index is smaller and the algorithm is more forgiving to new creators. Lucas: Exactly. And the content itself doesn't have to be high-production. A simple, clear, keyword-rich video often outperforms a polished but vague commercial. Luna: If these marketing conversations have sparked something you've actually used in your own strategy, and you'd like to support the show staying ad-free, listener support is what makes that possible. Lucas: Yeah, it's a small thing that goes a long way. If you're interested, you can find us at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. And thanks to those who already do — it helps us keep digging into these shifts. Luna: Absolutely. So back to social SEO — what's one thing a brand should do this week to start optimizing? Lucas: I'd say pick your top three product or service keywords. Then go to TikTok or Instagram search and see what autocomplete suggests. Create one piece of content per keyword that directly answers that search. Track the views over the next month. Luna: That's a concrete start. And it's probably more effective than posting three random photos. Lucas: Right. Because the platforms are becoming search engines whether we like it or not. Brands that adapt early will own the discovery space. Luna: And the ones that don't might find themselves invisible to an entire generation of shoppers.