Beyond Google: Building a Complete Search Strategy

Enhancing your search visibility now requires adopting a broader, total search strategy that connects with users across various platforms, including TikTok, Pinterest, and Reddit. With the evolving digital landscape, relying solely on Google for search visibility is no longer as effective as it once was.

Online search habits are shifting rapidly, particularly among younger audiences. Gen Z, for example, increasingly turns to platforms like TikTok and Reddit to discover information, seek recommendations, and explore trends. This evolution in search behaviour has made it essential for brands to diversify their digital presence.

By integrating multiple search and discovery platforms, businesses can create a more comprehensive and resilient search strategy. This not only increases visibility across various channels but also enhances engagement with a wider, more dynamic audience.

Embracing this multi-platform approach ensures that your brand remains relevant in a digital environment where users no longer rely solely on traditional search engines to find the information they need.

The risks of Google dependency

Google’s algorithm is constantly evolving, and the impact of core updates can be dramatic, often affecting website rankings overnight. These updates can lead to sudden drops or gains in visibility, which may be difficult to predict or control.

Relying heavily on a single search engine, like Google, leaves brands vulnerable to these unpredictable fluctuations. A sudden change in ranking can significantly affect web traffic, customer engagement, and, ultimately, business performance.

To address this, adopting a more diversified search strategy can help businesses mitigate these risks. By expanding their digital presence beyond Google, they can reduce their dependence on a single platform and spread their visibility across various discovery channels.

Diversifying across multiple platforms, such as TikTok, Pinterest, or Reddit, not only enhances resilience to algorithmic changes but also broadens a brand’s overall reach. This wider exposure helps businesses connect with new audiences and ensures they remain visible in an increasingly fragmented digital landscape.

How to develop a total search strategy

To implement a comprehensive search strategy, it is essential to follow a structured framework, beginning with detailed audience research. This step helps SEO practitioners understand where their audience spends time online and how they typically search for information.

1. Audience Research

Before investing in alternative platforms, identifying the online behaviour of your target audience is key. This will ensure that marketing efforts are directed toward the channels they actively engage with. Tools like Google Analytics 4 (GA4) can be used to examine referral sources under Acquisition > Traffic Acquisition. Additionally, platforms like Similarweb provide insights into competitor traffic and social media engagement, while SparkToro reveals the websites, social accounts, and podcasts that resonate with your audience.

First-party data from on-site surveys and CRM systems can also provide valuable audience insights. Additionally, ad platforms allow you to scope out audience sizes by setting up campaigns without activating them. By inputting targeting variables like job title or company size, you can estimate the potential reach and compare audience sizes across platforms.

2. Strategy Development

Once audience research is complete, the next step is to develop a tailored strategy based on your findings. Determine which platforms to prioritise by considering factors such as current referral traffic (via GA4), competitor traffic (via Similarweb), and audience size estimations from ad platform data.

The decision may also depend on available resources. For example, if you have a strong library of video content, it might be wise to focus on video-centric platforms like YouTube or TikTok. Prioritising platforms that align with your resources will help ensure your strategy is both practical and effective.

3. Platform-Specific Content Strategies

Content strategies should be adapted to match user behaviour and platform-specific norms. Conducting platform-specific keyword research can help identify topics that resonate with your target audience. For instance, on YouTube, keyword research can be done by observing common search terms in the platform’s search bar.

On Pinterest, the Ads keyword tool offers valuable insights. By switching to a Business Account, navigating to Ads > Create Campaign, and selecting Traffic as the campaign type, users can access keyword suggestions and search volumes. This allows marketers to optimise their profiles, boards, and pins to boost visibility based on high-traffic keywords.

4. Optimisation

With research and strategy in place, the next step is to optimise content for each platform’s unique search algorithm. For example, TikTok SEO differs significantly from Google SEO. On TikTok, content can be optimised by:

Saying keywords aloud in the video’s audio.
Displaying keywords as text overlays within the video.
Including relevant keywords in captions, audio transcripts, and hashtags.

Striking a balance between SEO and brand authenticity is essential to improve visibility while maintaining genuine engagement.

5. Measurement

A successful total search strategy requires ongoing performance measurement. This can be achieved by tracking in-platform metrics such as TikTok Insights and LinkedIn Analytics, which provide detailed engagement and traffic data.

Monitoring total search referrals over time is also crucial. In Google Analytics 4, specific sources can be filtered into a singular view, allowing you to measure performance trends. Granular insights from individual platforms, like Pinterest Analytics, offer further detail on how well your content is performing across various discovery channels.

By following these steps, businesses can create a robust, multi-channel search strategy that reduces dependency on a single search engine, increases reach, and strengthens overall digital visibility.

Getting started

In today’s rapidly changing digital landscape, relying solely on Google for search visibility is no longer a viable strategy. To stay competitive, adaptable, and discoverable, businesses must broaden their approach and influence potential customers across multiple platforms.

To begin, it’s important to put theory into practice by taking practical steps that expand your search presence beyond Google. Start by conducting a thorough audit of your referral traffic using Google Analytics 4 (GA4). This will help identify which sources are currently driving visitors to your website.

Next, pinpoint key alternative platforms by analysing both competitor activity and customer behaviour. Understanding where your target audience spends time online and how your competitors are engaging with them will give you valuable insights into which platforms to prioritise.

Once the top platforms have been identified, the next step is to create platform-specific content. Tailor your strategy to each platform by focusing on trending topics and user search behaviour. This could mean creating video content for TikTok, optimising boards on Pinterest, or engaging in niche discussions on Reddit.

Finally, test and measure the impact of your efforts using a total search dashboard. By tracking visibility and referral traffic across different platforms, you can better understand what’s working and refine your approach over time. This holistic strategy will improve your overall search presence and reduce reliance on any single platform.