BlogDagmar 07.02.2025

Dagmar studied: Search behavior changes with media consumption – Search Everywhere Optimization and Social Search are a new way of thinking about search engine optimization

Are you first in the search results when half a million Finns search YouTube for inspiration to buy a car? And can you find it when nearly 600,000 Finns search TikTok for recipes? Or are the nearly 100,000 young people who get their saving and investing tips from social media your new growth target group? Information and inspiration are no longer just sought from traditional search engines. Alongside Google, many searches are already done in social media channels or AI tools.

In December 2024, Dagmar studied* the search behaviour of Finns in different channels. The study mapped the search engine-like use of different channels. How to find ideas and inspiration from channels to support purchasing decisions, and how to search channels for product and price comparisons in 12 different categories. Google, AI tools and social media channels Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Pinterest, Reddit, Jodel, X and Youtube were examined.

The results confirmed an identified phenomenon: search behavior is changing, and it is time for marketers, especially those reaching younger generations, to think about discoverability through multiple channels, as Search Everywhere optimization.

While people’s media days have become fragmented, search behaviour has also become multichannel. It used to be said that if you can’t find yourself on the first page of Google, you don’t exist. The point is, if you aren´t found with the right search terms on TikTok, Instagram, or ChatGPT, you don’t exist. Discoverability now requires new thinking and a multi-channel approach, says Chief Digital Officer Heikki Pieniniemi.

While people’s media days have become fragmented, search behaviour has also become multichannel.

The point is, if you AREN`T FOUND WITH the right search terms on TikTok, Instagram, or ChatGPT, you don’t exist.

Discoverability now requires new thinking and a multi-channel approach.

Heikki Pieniniemi, Chief Digital Officer

Searches for ideas related to food and recipes accelerate change

Google’s position as a search engine is still overwhelmingly strong regardless of industry and age group, but more than 2 million Finns already use social media channels in a search engine-like manner. The biggest “social media search engine” is Youtube, Instagram and Facebook almost on its heels. Nearly one in four people aged 16 to 69 search on TikTok.

When examining the search behaviour of the entire population, social media channels raise their heads especially when looking for ideas and inspiration to support purchasing decisions. The phenomenon is strongest and most multichannel in food and recipe searches: 20% of Finns aged 16–69 search for food-related ideas on Instagram, YouTube and Facebook, 15% on TikTok and 8% on Pinterest. Searches related to cosmetics, clothing and travel are also commonplace on many social media channels for more than half a million Finns.

There are big differences in the significance of channels by industry: in car-related searches, YouTube is clearly the most utilized social media channel after Google, while in cosmetics and clothing searches, Instagram is strongly emphasized. The role of X and Reddit as search engines is small, regardless of the target group, and Jodel only rears its head as a channel for young people to search for cosmetics. Pinterest’s importance as a search engine is very industry-specific.

There are still industries where the significance of social media channels for overall discoverability is small: for example, no more than 5% of Finns search for pharmacy products and insurance in social media channels. However, even in these industries, those aiming for young target groups can find growing new potential in social media channels, which should be found when the matter is topical, says Ville Rekula, Research Director at Dagmar, who was responsible for the implementation of the study.

Social Search is strongest in young people

As always, media consumption trends are most visible in young target groups. Google’s position, especially in product and price searches, is unwavering also among young people, but the number of people searching on social media channels is already very high in some industries. As many as 45% of 16–24-year-olds search for food and recipes on TikTok and over 30% on Instagram and YouTube. In this target group, TikTok’s role as a channel for ideas and inspiration searches for clothes, accessories and cosmetics in particular is already close to Google. YouTube’s role is emphasised in investment and saving searches: 24% of young people search for ideas on YouTube, which is a lot compared to the number of people googling the topic (50% of young people).

Young people are also at the forefront of using ChatGPT and other AI tools in search engines. While 13% of 16–69-year-olds search with AI tools, 35% of 16–24-year-olds already do so.

However, searches on social media are carried out in all age groups. Although 55–69-year-olds use social media platforms as search engines less than younger age groups and search behaviour is more product- and price-driven, social media searches are also carried out in this target group, especially related to food and travel. After Google, Facebook and Youtube are the most natural search channels for the target group.

search behaviour is indeed changing, but it does not cause me concern, but rather enthusiasm.

This multi-channel approach offers a significant competitive advantage.

Sampo Saukko, Technical SEO Specialist

Multichannel search behaviour – how should the phenomenon be approached?

Dagmar’s search engine optimization experts and social media content designers work closely together to develop multichannel discoverability. The new SEO, Search Everywhere Optimization, is an opportunity to be among the first to seize:

As the data clearly shows, search behaviour is indeed changing, but it does not cause me concern, but rather enthusiasm. Google will maintain its position as the clear leader in search, but the use of social media platforms and AI tools alongside Google offers new opportunities. This multi-channel approach offers a significant competitive advantage. We are aware of this phenomenon and are working closely with our different teams to respond to changes in the search market as effectively as possible, says Sampo Saukko, Technical SEO Specialist.

In content production, it is important to identify and utilise the search behaviour of each channel and the terms preferred by users.

Content must match the search capabilities and expressions used on the channel to reach its audience.

Mikko Wivolin, Head of Creative Social

As a result of the study, our customers have access to a unique insight into which channels search engine optimization efforts in Finland should be directed to in different industries and when reaching different target groups.

Industry-specific data is available from our search engine optimization and social media content experts, let’s dive deeper together!

*Source: Dagmar Social Search survey, December 2024. The sample of the survey is representative of Finns aged 16 to 69, n=1072.