Seismic Shift in Search Habits: AI and Social Media Disrupt Google’s Dominance

The most striking statistic? A whopping 45% of customers now report they would use and trust an AI tool to find more information about a brand. That’s a big deal for Google. Its dominance over search is being disrupted in ways it hasn’t seen before.

“Google impressions have declined 8-20% over the past two years, forcing marketers to adapt as search behavior shifts with AI-driven overviews, chatbots, and social media searches,” notes Anthony Rinaldi, senior director of insights at Yext.

That is not all, however. The study has also discovered that currently, 51% of the customers are searching through social media for information about the brands, whereas 28% are asking the voice assistants. Such a multi-faceted search does not let the firms function only by optimizing for algorithms in Google.

“Instagram and TikTok have become the new alternative search engines, especially among younger consumers,” said Rinaldi. “As consumers use a mix of different tools and channels to find brands and ultimately decide to buy or not buy, the future of search will question intent, not keywords and rankings,” he added.

The implications for marketers are profound. Classic SEO strategies based on Google’s hegemony are now woefully inadequate in the face of fragmentation and customers searching for information across diverse arrays of platforms.

“These changes are shifting the landscape of marketing built on Google algorithms and traditional SEO, and many are not ready to meet consumers where they are,” Rinaldi cautioned. “As how we search for fragments, the cost of inaction or missteps from marketers is steep.”

Accuracy and trust matter, too, and not just about adopting new platforms, because the study shows that 56% of customers get frustrated with outdated information when searching for brands online, and 57% say accurate and detailed information influences their decision to trust a brand.

“Ensuring that the information is correct, so, it’s on brands to know if the sources AI draws on to create responses are right, and it’s no longer good enough to merely focus on a few top-ranking pages and keywords, “ Rinaldi said.

In the wake of seismic shifts, marketers will need to prepare themselves to have an overhaul in their strategy, introduce newly emerging technologies, and ensure the truth and reliability of their digital presence. The future of search is here, and those who lag in terms of adaptation are left behind in its wake.