Social Search: Why Is TikTok the New Encyclopedia?
We're used to search being a white page with a search bar. But Gen Z broke this pattern. About 40% of young people, when looking for a dinner place, makeup tutorial, or investment advice, don't open Google. They open TikTok or Instagram Reels.
This spawned — optimizing content for social networks' built-in search engines.
Learning Supplement
Social SEO: TikTok and Reels as Google Replacements
Gen Z searches for info on TikTok. Social SEO optimizes video for internal search using on-screen text and captions.
Lesson Terms
Case Study Example
A creator added text 'Top 5 Moscow Restaurants' over the video. The algorithm read it, and the video hit the TOP for this query.
Real Life Example
When people want to learn to tie a tie, they don't read instructions. They want a 15-second video showing it with hands.