It's 2023. Inspired by Instagram's vibrant smoothie culture, you embark on a quest for the perfect blender. Armed with the world's knowledge in your pocket, you Google "best affordable blender for smoothies." However, the search results are disappointing. Sponsored products dominate the top of the page, regardless of quality, and the Amazon links that follow are questionable in their reliability.
As you delve deeper, the next 10-12 results are nothing but SEO-driven listicles from impersonal corporations, all promising the "Best Cheap Blenders of 2023." Upon clicking, though, you're bombarded with intrusive ads, pop-ups, and affiliate links, rendering these sites nearly unusable. Worse still, the blender descriptions are either inauthentic, vague, or riddled with errors.
This frustrating experience is becoming all too common. Google's first-page results, once a reliable source of information, now resemble a marketplace of artificial, commercialized content. The genuine human interaction and advice that once thrived on the internet seem lost. In response, people are increasingly turning to social media platforms to find the authentic discussions they crave.
The internet's early days were dominated by forums, where lively discussions flourished, each with its unique community and culture. But as social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter/X, and Facebook rose to prominence, they largely replaced forums. Reddit, a more direct heir to the forum tradition, has become the go-to for meaningful online discussions, as evidenced by Google Trends data and polls showing a growing preference for appending "reddit" to search queries.
Today, particularly among Gen Z, social media is often the primary source for recommendations. As Google senior vice president Prabhakar Raghavan highlighted, many young people now prefer TikTok or Instagram over traditional search engines for discovering places to eat or things to do. These platforms, with their concise, visually appealing content, have become central to the information-seeking habits of a generation raised on social media.
The dissatisfaction with search engine results is growing, with the internet being increasingly perceived as inauthentic. This has profound implications for how search engines like Google must evolve. In response, Google introduced "Perspectives" in May 2023, a feature that combines videos, social media posts, and other diverse sources in an effort to provide more authentic viewpoints.
Brand Presentation on Social Media Matters Now More than Ever
In this changing landscape, the way businesses present themselves on social media has never been more crucial. In an environment where authenticity is key, defining a unique social media aesthetic and mission enables businesses to connect genuinely with their audience and stand out in a sea of biased search results. For brands, understanding and leveraging the power of these platforms is essential to reach and resonate with their target customers.
This shift towards using social media to find reliable, human-centric content is redefining online search habits and emphasizes the need for authenticity in brand presentation.
Crafting a distinct aesthetic and mission for your brand on social media isn't just about standing out; it's about creating a meaningful connection with your audience. This approach not only sets your business apart from competitors but also serves as a powerful counter to the often biased and impersonal nature of search engine results.
At The Branding Boutique LA, our expertise in branding and strategy is at the forefront of our approach. Our team is dedicated to deeply understanding and staying ahead of social media trends, ensuring that we harness the full potential of these platforms. We are committed to guiding your product or service to not just reach, but genuinely resonate with those who are seeking it.
by: Nicole Bosiy