Google Won’t Save You: How Buyers Really Search Now
The search landscape is evolving rapidly. While Google still dominates traditional SEO, new players like ChatGPT, Bing AI, Perplexity, and social search platforms (TikTok, Instagram, Reddit, YouTube) are reshaping how people discover brands, products, and services.
Here’s a how-to guide to incorporating ChatGPT and social search into your broader marketing strategy. The issue isn’t effort - it’s clarity.
Ask AI tools like ChatGPT for recommendations, summaries, or comparisons.
Search TikTok or Instagram for authentic user reviews or product demos.
Turn to Reddit or YouTube for detailed discussions and how-to content.
Your strategy should account for where your audience is actually searching — not just Google.
Step 2: Audit Your Current Digital Footprint
Your strategy should account for where your audience is actually searching — not just Google.
Ask:
Is your content appearing in the kinds of places LLMs (Large Language Models) pull from? (E.g., authoritative blogs, FAQs, third-party reviews)
Do you have content circulating on key social platforms where people search?
Are your brand mentions accurate, up to date, and visible across channels?
Step 3: Optimise for LLMs (ChatGPT, Bing, Perplexity)
Get your brand and product featured on credible third-party sites, review platforms, and knowledge bases.
Update your website schema and metadata to make it easy for AI systems to interpret.
If applicable, explore ChatGPT plugin integrations or tools that let you directly feed updated content.
Step 4: Optimise for Social Search
Develop search-friendly content on TikTok, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube that aligns with how people look for your type of product or service.
Use the right hashtags, keywords, and formats to ensure your content is surfaced when people search inside these platforms.
Encourage and reshare user-generated content (UGC), which often ranks highly in social search
Step 5: Integrate Revenue and Attribution Tracking
Build a tracking system (using UTMs, unique discount codes, or affiliate links) to understand how much revenue or traffic comes from LLM or social search channels.
Compare performance over time to assess ROI and adjust resource allocation.
Step 6: Fold It into Your Larger Marketing Plan
Prioritise channels based on your audience's behaviour (younger demographics = more social search; B2B = maybe more LLM-driven).
Allocate time and resources: who will create the content, monitor performance, and iterate?
Set clear KPIs (e.g., content reach, LLM mentions, social engagement, revenue impact).
Final Thoughts
Optimising for ChatGPT and social search isn’t about abandoning Google; it’s about broadening your reach and positioning your brand where future buyers are searching.
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