As the digital marketing landscape continues to evolve, social media platforms are gaining traction in search. When considering search engine optimization (SEO), it may be time to reevaluate search behaviors and adjust SEO strategies accordingly.
Should we reconsider what a “search engine” is in SEO? Should we evolve our definition of SEO and our approach to it? Let’s talk about it.
What is SEO in 2025? The Evolution of SEO
It’s been nearly three decades since search engine optimization began as a practice. In the late 1990s, we saw the first website published, the creation of Yahoo, and the beginnings of Google. Naturally, as search was introduced, optimizing for search was, too.
SEO has been a whirlwind ever since, changing with the times as search engine algorithms, content, and the use of websites evolved. While ranking once heavily depended on the number of backlinks a site had and the number of mentions of a keyword on-page, the complexity of SEO has increased over time. The most prominent search engine, Google, has had to learn how to navigate black-hat, now-outdated SEO practices to improve the search experience.
Decades later, Google’s Core Algorithm updates largely focus on “rewarding” helpful content and “punishing” spammy content to yield the most beneficial results for searchers.
Now, in 2025, we must take a step back and look at how people search for information. Yes, people still search on Google and other traditional search engines (e.g. Bing, DuckDuckGo, Yandex). We do need to prioritize traditional SEO and focus on creating helpful content, as we have been.
However, it’s important to note that people also search on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. People’s search habits have changed since the 1990s. For example, Gen Z uses Google 25% less than Gen X for searching. Further, 24% of people primarily use social media to search online (Forbes). As search changes, optimizing for search needs to change, too. It’s time to look beyond Google.
SEO in 2025 is about continuing to prioritize technical SEO and helpful content on-site while branching out into optimizing for non-traditional search engines. Companies need to create a strategy to maximize visibility across both Google and other search engines to stay competitive. There is no one-size-fits-all solution; each company should determine its strategy based on its own needs. Agencies like Synapse are sparking the discussion on maximizing search visibility across engines and platforms to create a comprehensive SEO and social strategy.
SEO Defined: Shifts in the Search Landscape for SEO and Social Media
In 2025, people search on more than traditional search engines – they are searching on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and more. We need to have these conversations about where searchers live to truly meet them where they are.
SEO in 2025 involves optimizing both social profiles and website content for search across various search engines, not just Google.
Social SEO – Are Social Sites Considered “Search Engines” Now?
Social SEO has become a critical element of a brand’s social media strategy, as social media platforms have increasingly become used for search. Later in this article, we will discuss how social media gets pulled into Google SERPs, providing companies with an opportunity to maximize visibility on the SERPs. Further, having effective posts on relevant social media platforms can help your business tap into social search volume.
As for the question, “Are social media platforms considered ‘search engines’ now?”, let’s start by figuring out what defines a search engine. Britannica defines a search engine as a “computer program to find answers to queries in a collection of information, which might be a library catalog or a database but is most commonly the World Wide Web.”
Now, let’s consider how social media platforms work. Social users conduct a search, and the platform identifies items in their databases corresponding to the queries. Given this, I’d say that several social media platforms are search engines. So, it’s time that SEO strategies consider all search engines and how they intertwine to maximize visibility.
The Rise of TikTok SEO
As a member of Gen Z, the rise of TikTok being used as a search engine has been incredibly apparent to me. My friends and I go to TikTok for how-to’s, recipes, reviews, and more. If you would like to learn more about how the top social platforms are shifting to align with Gen Z, check out our article on social platforms and Gen Z.
A 2024 study by Adobe helps us contextualize TikTok’s rise as a search engine. 41% of all consumers surveyed have used TikTok as a search engine. This usage is strongest among Gen Z, as 64% of Gen Z respondents reported having used TikTok as a search engine. Further, about 1 in 10 Gen Zers are more likely to rely on TikTok than Google as a search engine.
With the knowledge that TikTok is becoming a widely used search engine, companies need to have an appropriate presence on the platform. If consumers look for information on TikTok related to your company’s niche, it is valuable to ensure you have the right content ready to rank within the platform to capture the searches. In doing so, remember to track engagements and measure success using platform analytics. TikTok also offers search ads so your ads can appear within the TikTok SERP. Synapse’s Social Team has experience with TikTok ads, so feel free to learn more about our social media advertising services here.
The importance of incorporating TikTok into your SEO strategy does not stop with posting within the platform. Google SERPs now rank TikTok videos. It is important to measure your visibility on social platforms beyond Google, in addition to monitoring your social profile’s rankings on Google.
What Can Appear in Google SERP Results in 2025?
The Google SERP is a dynamic place, especially in 2025 – we have AI overviews, all sorts of other SERP features, and content from social media platforms and forums ranking prominently. While it is important to optimize for search within-platform on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, it’s also important to note their visibility on the Google SERP.
SEO and Social Media
Social media platforms have been ranking in Google SERPs for years. As platforms and Google algorithms evolve, rankings do, too. For example, with Google rewarding content with a stronger focus on consumer discussion and reviews, Reddit pages have become very prominent in Google SERPs over the past year or two.
Social media posts and pages are more likely to rank on the Google SERP if the profile is complete, there is high-quality content, keywords and hashtags are optimized, and engagement is high. Oftentimes, paid ads on social platforms help improve engagement, therefore helping to improve organic presence on search engines (HostAfrica).
Even when your website domain is already ranking on a SERP, it can be helpful to have social media posts and profiles ranking, too. In this situation, more of the SERP landscape is attained, and visibility is high. This should be a priority for branded queries to ensure a strong presence on your own branded SERP. When it comes to non-branded queries, while less of a priority, it would be great to have both your domain and social posts ranking. With a strong social media strategy, some social posts and the company profile should be optimized to rank for the company’s core offerings.
The Types of Businesses That Should Prioritize Social SEO Efforts
Some companies should certainly prioritize their SEO efforts on non-traditional search engines like social media platforms. However, it is important to note the time, effort, and resources needed to execute a proper social SEO strategy. Fine-tuning this strategy will be more critical for some companies than others.
The priority of non-traditional/social SEO strategy efforts depends on company goals. B2C companies will likely see social and cross-platform SEO as a priority due to the nature of their business and where target customers are found online. In terms of the B2B space, if the company prioritizes recruitment or building awareness, social SEO may also be a strong priority. Additionally, if a lot of useful information lives on social platforms and is otherwise not available on-site, social SEO may be prioritized to ensure this content has proper visibility.
If the company goals are to have prospects visit the site because everything they need is there, or if the company is inactive on Facebook/Instagram/TikTok/YouTube, it may not be as important to prioritize rankings and visibility for these platforms.
That said, most large B2B or B2C companies will have a social media presence, information online, and recruitment efforts that warrant monitoring this visibility and prioritizing social SEO efforts.
What to Keep in Mind While Developing a Social SEO Strategy
While developing a social SEO strategy, it is important to keep a few things in mind:
- Use data analytics to monitor performance and guide optimizations. Partnering with a data-driven performance marketing agency like Synapse is a great choice for achieving this robust analysis.
- Set clear goals for the strategy beforehand – which key metrics are you looking to improve?
- Consider which platforms are a priority for the business. Where do your customers “live” online? Be mindful when establishing priorities to avoid spending time and resources on less effective platforms.
- Make sure the business’s social platforms are indexable by Google. Visit the profile’s privacy settings to ensure it is available to Google, and optimize the profile and content for social SEO.
As SEO changes, the strategy must evolve, too. In 2025, it is time to look beyond Google and maximize your business’s visibility across search engines.
Ready to revamp your SEO and Social strategy to maximize company visibility? Contact Synapse to get started!
