Visual Content

Search engines such as Google were once the go-to place for online discovery, but Gen Z and millennials are increasingly turning away from traditional search engines in favor of social platforms like TikTok and Instagram for conducting searches. This shift represents an essential change in how information is accessed, trusted and consumed among these audiences.

Social search (also referred to as search in-feed) has grown popular due to its visual, interactive and community-focused platforms. Furthermore, these tools prioritize content from influencers and creators that resonate with audiences while feeling authentic - serving more as word-of-mouth recommendation engines than traditional search tools.

Brands must embrace this change by producing search-optimized content on both traditional and social platforms, using keywords, hashtags and trends monitoring for optimal SEO strategy to ensure their presence is seen by relevant social search results.

Brands can leverage long and short-form video content to effectively engage their target audiences by employing both visuals and a sense of urgency in real time, which caters to younger consumer expectations. Video also helps build brand trust by connecting with followers throughout their day.

Short-form Videos

Short-form videos have quickly become an invaluable way to connect with customers in an age where attention spans are shortening and engagement is at an all-time low. Conveniently accessible across various devices from phones to TVs, these clips allow brands to continuously reach out and engage their target audiences for maximum effect.

Short-form videos are easier than long-form content to produce, with limited budgets and resources marketers being able to create engaging and authentic material on platforms such as TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube, Snapchat or TikTok for engagement and authenticity aimed at Gen Z and younger Millennial audiences, building trust and creating brand loyalty with this type of media. Furthermore, short-form videos can easily be reused across other channels like social media or blogs repurposing them for later.

Attracting viewers' attention after watching your short-form videos by including a strong call to action (CTA), such as through on-screen text, visual cues or verbal prompts is crucial in increasing return on investment (ROI) of any campaign.

As you craft short-form videos for social media platforms like YouTube or Vimeo, keep in mind the ever-evolving social-media landscape is always shifting with new trends emerging daily. To remain ahead of competition and remain visible to your target audience, incorporate current sounds, songs or visual effects that resonate with people into your video to increase engagement rates and ensure your brand remains top of mind with viewers.

Social Graph

Search engines such as Google and Bing produce standardized lists of results; while social media platforms provide personalized experiences based on individual's likes, searches, and interests. This allows them to provide more efficient and relevant search results for users.

Social media platforms are improving their search functionality to cater to users' individual needs and preferences. Generation Z users, for instance, primarily rely on TikTok and Instagram as primary search engines because they tend to trust peer recommendations more readily; as a result, these platforms have become essential resources for trending topics, tips, and products.

As their popularity has skyrocketed, these search engines are surpassing traditional ones in usage; users spend more time watching Instagram Stories (private short-form videos) than viewing static posts or Reels in their feed.

Reason being: the social graph, an important data set that tracks every aspect of user interactions on social media platforms such as browsing activity and friend lists. This allows social networks to tailor user experiences accordingly while capitalizing on collected information to provide targeted ads to their audiences.

As social media continues to evolve, brands must adapt their digital strategies accordingly. By adopting best practices such as these ones, brands can maximize social media's power while creating meaningful connections between themselves and their audiences.

Influencers

When it comes to finding information online, consumers typically turn to Google or other traditional search engines as their first stop for answers. But for Gen Z and millennials specifically, social media is increasingly being used as their go-to source of answers - something known as social search which is revolutionizing how brands optimize their digital presence.

Social media offers more individualized results that feel more authentic and relatable, informed by friends, family and influencers whose interests match up perfectly with those searching. This makes social media such as TikTok and Instagram increasingly popular as more customers look there for answers they require.

These platforms can also serve as powerful traffic drivers to websites as users discover products and services through user posts. Therefore, marketers must ensure their SEO-optimized website content is tailored appropriately for social searches.

Ron brings nearly two decades of enterprise sales experience to Trice and will focus on its customer growth in the western U.S. He has built and led teams that generated significant revenue across different verticals, such as medical IT security and forensic data industry. Ron joins Trice at an exciting inflection point as its business rapidly scales and diversifies offerings; he looks forward to using his diverse skills and experiences to help guide Trice on its path toward market leadership.