Younger generations are turning to social platforms instead of Google to search for products, services and recommendations. Is your social media content optimized for it?
Younger generations are increasingly using social media platforms for discovery rather than traditional search engines. Forbes reports that Instagram ranks as the top search platform for Gen Z, with 67% of surveyed users selecting it as their first choice. TikTok follows closely with 62%, while Google ranks third at 61%. However, Google’s ranking includes traffic from YouTube, Google Maps, and Google Images, which boosts its search traffic, leaving “traditional” Google Search as a distant third for Gen Z.
The survey didn’t include younger generations, but if it had, it’s likely it would have shown even greater dominance by TikTok and Instagram. In fact, as early as 2022, Google revealed that 40% of young people use TikTok or Instagram for recommendations instead of Google.
This article is part of a series that examines major digital marketing trends that franchise systems should be aware of in 2025. Check out our other articles in the series:
- How Generative AI is Changing Digital Advertising for Franchises in 2025
- How Franchise Companies Should Adjust their SEO Approach in 2025
- What Franchise Companies Need to Know About Voice Search in 2025
- Video is a Must-Have Marketing Tool for Franchise Companies in 2025
- Influencer Marketing for Franchise Companies is Going “Nano”
- Franchise Marketing Data Privacy Update for 2025
- Social Shopping Trends for Franchise Companies in 2025
This shift doesn’t signal the immediate downfall of search engines like Google and Bing, but social media platforms are becoming increasingly popular as search tools across all age groups. This trend makes sense, as social platforms use complex algorithms to deliver content that people may be interested in, which makes them inherently effective for search.
In addition to the above survey, recent research by Hubspot found that 31% of people use social media to answer their questions and that 15% of people say that they prefer social media to search engines. Not surprisingly, Gen Z and millennials are leading the pack, with 31% and 28% saying that they prefer to search via social media.
For franchise marketers, this trend means that you should think about your social media content less as a “push out” to people and more as an opportunity for both existing and potential customers to learn about your brand and your business. Said another way, the focus should be on creating user-centric, informative and/or entertaining content designed to drive engagement within your target customer base.
To do this, your company should have a strong social media content strategy, including a clear definition of who your target audience is, what they are interested in, and how you intend to engage with them. Experiment with different content and creative ideas and carefully measure the results to identify a winning approach.
Influencers are another great opportunity for franchise companies to optimize for social search. Not only are influencers an effective way to directly reach your target customers with relevant posts, but they often create content that is naturally geared towards social search. Product and services reviews are an excellent example of content that is tailor-made for social search.
In addition, there are number of tactical activities franchise companies can implement to aid in social search visibility:
Integrate relevant keywords in captions: Industry terms, product names, and descriptive phrases as keywords in captions and hashtags can help content surface prominently in platform searches. This ultimately enhances discoverability for relevant search queries, while also helping your content appear in the Explore or For You pages.
Use descriptive alt-text and subtitles: Adding alt-text to your posts enhances accessibility by providing extra details and helping social platforms better understand your content. This can improve your chances of appearing in relevant searches. Include subtitles on video content as the social platform will include that information in search results.
Tag your location: Tagging the location of your franchise business makes it easier for your audience to find you, as users often include a location or destination in their search queries.
Enhance your profile bio with keywords: The profile section of your social media account, where your handle and description are located, is valuable for social search. Include relevant keywords in your business name and description to increase the likelihood of appearing in search results.
Interested in learning more about the topics presented in this article and other franchise digital marketing trends for 2025? Be sure to download our guidebook here.
Check out the other articles in our series below:
- How Generative AI is Changing Digital Advertising for Franchises in 2025
- How Franchise Companies Should Adjust their SEO Approach in 2025
- What Franchise Companies Need to Know About Voice Search in 2025
- Video is a Must-Have Marketing Tool for Franchise Companies in 2025
- Influencer Marketing for Franchise Companies is Going “Nano”
- Franchise Marketing Data Privacy Update for 2025
- Social Shopping Trends for Franchise Companies in 2025
