A few years ago, when we wanted to look something up online, the first step was pretty clear: go to Google. We still do that today, although now we also turn to tools like ChatGPT or Claude. But Google isn't always our first choice anymore.
You want to find a restaurant, so you check Instagram. You're looking for a recipe, and you end up on TikTok. You need to learn how to set up a tool, and you'll probably end up watching a video on YouTube.
Social media is no longer just a place where we scroll. We also use it to look for answers.
And for those of us who work creating content for brands, this should prompt us to make some changes.
The question we ask ourselves:
«What can we post this week?»
When we should often ask ourselves:
«What is our client looking for?»
We no longer just discover content—we seek it out
TikTok is probably one of the clearest examples. The platform itself has been enhancing its search engine and developing tools for creators to find out what topics people are searching for for some time now. In addition, throughout 2026, it has continued to strengthen this discovery aspect with features related to local content, travel, restaurants, and businesses. If you want to see how it has evolved, you can read the TikTok Updates that we've been collecting on the blog.
The data points in the same direction. According to the IAB Spain's 2026 Social Media Study, produced in collaboration with Elogia, 54 % of users already use social media to search for information before shopping online, with Instagram as the primary platform for research and TikTok strengthening its role in discovering products and trends through TikTok Shop.
The same study notes that the 44 % of users acknowledge that social media influences their purchasing decisions and that 1 in 4 has already made a purchase directly through them.
Google had already warned about this a few years ago. In 2022, according to an internal company survey to users Among Americans aged 18 to 24, nearly 40 % used TikTok or Instagram instead of Google Maps or a search engine, when I was trying to find a place to eat.
And that makes a lot of sense. We’re not just looking for generic things like «Trip to Rome.» We’re increasingly searching for much more specific information: «What to see in Rome in three days,» «Restaurants in Rome that aren’t for tourists.» This is where video has a huge advantage: It doesn't just tell us something—it teaches us.
If someone is looking for instructions on how to prune a rose bush, they'll probably appreciate seeing exactly where to cut. If they're looking for a burger joint in a city, they'll surely want to see the restaurant, the menu, and what the food is really like. And if they want to buy a tool, see how it works It can offer much more than just a description.
Designing with search in mind changes the approach
Let's think about a store that specializes in plants.
We could post a Reel titled:
«3 Tips for Caring for Your Plants 🌱.».
That's right. But it's pretty generic.
Now let's think about a real-life search:
«Why are the leaves on my plants turning yellow?».
The content of the video may be practically the same, but the intent is completely different.
The first one tries to catch someone's attention while they're scrolling.
The second one is for someone who already has a problem.
Here's another example.
A home improvement store might post:
«Discover our new pressure washer.».
Or I could put it this way:
«How much pressure does a pressure washer need to clean a patio?».
We'll continue showing you the product, but first we're clearing up a question.
For me, this is one of the main opportunities: Stop constantly talking about what we want to sell and start talking more about what the user wants to know.
Is this what SEO on TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram looks like?
In a way, yes.
But we also shouldn't turn every vertical video into a website optimized down to the last detail. It's the same reasoning we apply in our work on SEO positioning: based on search intent rather than an isolated keyword.
The important thing is to understand the search.
- What would our client write?
- What's your question?
- What problem are you trying to solve?
- Do you want to learn, compare, shop, or just get inspired?
To answer these questions, you don't have to start from scratch: the search engine's autocomplete feature on each platform, the comments on your own videos, and the questions received by customer service They usually provide very good clues.
Then we can help the platform understand the video by using those words naturally in what we say, in the on-screen text, in the title, or in the description.
After all, doing SEO on Social Media It also involves making it easier for platforms to identify what our content is about and when it might be relevant to a search.
But there's something even more important: that the video actually answers the question.
YouTube, for example, explains on its official documentation on how the search works which takes three main factors into account when ranking results: relevance, engagement, and quality.
Relevance is estimated based on how well the title, tags, description, and the video’s content itself align with what someone is searching for. Engagement takes into account, for example, the watch time for a video related to that specific search query. And when it comes to quality, it looks for signs of the channel’s expertise, authority, and trustworthiness on that topic.
Therefore, Including keywords can help us appear in search results, but it won't do much good if the content fails to hold the reader's interest.
Visibility isn't always limited to the web either. If you're interested in how these two worlds connect, you can find more information in our article on how to Rank organically on Google using Instagram.
If someone is looking for an answer, give it to them right away
This is also where withholding comes into play.
If someone searches for: «How to choose a brush cutter,» I wouldn’t start a video by saying: «Hi everyone, welcome back to our channel…».
I'll get right to the point: «If you have a large property, don't buy a brush cutter without first considering these three things.» Here's our answer.
The same goes for a pet food store: «If your dog has stopped eating his kibble, check these three things first.».
Or when choosing a hotel: «If you’re looking for a hotel in Burgos with parking, check this out before you book.».
The first few seconds are crucial for capturing the viewer's attention and getting them to keep watching the video. If you need inspiration to get started on your content, check out our selection of TikTok hooks and the short-form video trends to improve your social media posts.
Content designed for search forces us, in a way, to get straight to the point. And that can also help us create better videos.
Because, at the end of the day, uploading a video isn't just about getting views.
The goal is to be there when someone has a need that our brand can meet.
And more and more, that journey also begins with a search on a social media platform.
Do you want to turn your social media into a real sales channel?
At Geotelecom, we help you create a social media strategy designed not only to increase visibility, but also to drive traffic, connect with your audience, and boost sales on your e-commerce site, with the support of our social network management.
We work on the strategy, content, video, and the Social Media Advertising with Social Ads so that each post has a clear purpose within the business.
If you want to get more out of your social media and turn it into a growth driver for your e-commerce business, contact us at.
