Insights from the EXACTA Media team
Social media is everywhere! It’s woven into our daily media habits and always just a tap away on our phones. About 70% of the total U.S population is on some sort of social media platform and a whopping 99% of mobile users are on social media. These online gathering places have become essential in connecting with family and friends, as well as with businesses.
Recognizing the huge potential, search functions are being expanded on many social platforms, particularly as Gen Z has embraced social search over the use of standard search engines such as Google, Yahoo or Bing.
Image credit: eMarketer
Most social media users will use their platform of choice to search for products before making a purchase decision.
Image credit: eMarketer
Since so many social platforms now offer paid and organic search capabilities, which should advertisers embrace? The Exacta Media digital marketing team has our eyes on three top social search providers with the most advancements.
Meta
Meta is a social media powerhouse being home to Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger (we haven’t forgotten Threads, but no new search features there yet). With Meta Llama 3, Meta AI is one of the most robust social search providers, and it seamlessly integrates into Meta’s popular apps and adeptly responds to questions and requests. It helps users find specific information and even suggests questions for search.
New features offered by Meta AI include in feed search prompts, Imagine, and in-app chatbots where users have greater control over search and results.
While Meta does not have a paid search option, there are strategies that would allow brands to appear in search results:
Facebook search results – Ads appear next to relevant Facebook and Marketplace search results.
Instagram search results – Ads appear in the search results when people enter a search term into the search bar in the Instagram app.
Ads in Instagram – Users will see both ads and organic content in keyword search results.
TikTok
TikTok has seen incredible success and since launching its Search Ads Toggle a little over a year ago in October 2023, advertisers have been able to serve relevant ads next to organic search results. The platform sees about 9 out of 10 users take action after searching on TikTok. Common searches include gift ideas, well-being and fitness, recipes and meal ideas, and even financial services and parenting advice.
Image credit: eMarketer
Companies can choose within ad settings if they want to be served with search results, and the most recent updates for Search Ads campaigns now allow ads for both Traffic and Web Conversion objectives, providing a more concrete connection for users when they are at peak interest. TikTok found that brands running both Search Ads and In-Feed Ads saw 20% higher conversions.
Image credit: TikTok and Social Media Today
Snapchat
Snapchat is an excellent platform for reaching younger target markets, with 48% of its user base being between the ages of 15-25. Plus, its audience has grown over 20% in the last year. Snap offers contextual ads through its My AI search chatbot. Meaning, if a user is looking specifically for recommendations, My AI will deliver sponsored posts that show ad placements.
Social Media Today reported that Snapchat had over 150 million people submit over 10 billion queries to My AI, which would make it one of the most widely used consumer chatbots available. Since My AI taps into Microsoft’s generative AI technology, brands can feel confident that the system will achieve positive results, especially as Microsoft has focused on mobile performance improvements.
TechCrunch reports that the integration of Microsoft into Snap’s My AI, “could potentially see Snapchat becoming a place where younger Gen Z users search for products and services by way of AI chats, in lieu of using a search engine like Google.”
Image credit: Microsoft
Searching for results
There is no doubt that social search is becoming a primary avenue for finding products and information, most notably with younger Gen Z users. With an on-point strategy that selects the best platform for the target audience, strong messaging and an advantageous media buy, social search can deliver a solid ROI for brands. Social media is a fantastic place to engage with target audiences and build a community, so adding this additional facet will only strengthen results.
Our media team has our eyes on these three key social search providers and are staying on top of the social search trend. We can’t wait to see what’s in store as this strategy develops and look forward to continuously cultivating and adjusting social search tactics for our clients.
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