Leverage Social Media Searches to Grow Your Podcast

The Circle Sessions

According to Forbes, 24% of consumers are now using social media to search for products, information, and brands. This number jumps to 46% for Gen Z! Understanding and leveraging this can give your podcast a significant edge in discoverability.

The focus of this episode is an emerging trend that sees social media being used as a search engine. Tonnisha starts by illustrating how platforms like Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube are increasingly becoming sources of information for users.

Citing statistics from Forbes and Sprout Social, she highlights that nearly 24% of consumers and a staggering 46% of Gen Z now utilize social media for searching products, information, and brands.

Tonnisha points out that while social media offers visual and interactive content that can be more engaging than traditional search engines, issues around credibility persist. Popular videos and influencers often overshadow the most accurate information, leading to potential misinformation.

How about some actionable insights for podcasters on how to optimize their content for social media search? Tonnisha emphasizes the importance of understanding the unique search purposes of different platforms, using relevant hashtags and keywords, and creating content that aligns with what users are likely looking for. Brett and Tonnisha also touch on the integration of AI in social media searches and how this technology is evolving across platforms like Google and TikTok.

Tonnisha shares practical advice on how podcasters can benefit from these shifts. She encourages creators to be strategic about their social media presence, focusing on where their target audience spends time online.

Key Moments

00:00 Social media increasingly competes with Google for searches.

06:19 AI evolving in Google Search and TikTok.

08:05 Tailor content based on platform and audience.

11:27 TikTok suggests related content using AI recommendations.

14:41 Future jobs will focus on social media search.

Top Takeaways

Social media platforms like TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube are increasingly being used as search engines, particularly by younger generations. This trend is something marketers and content creators must adapt to.

Traditional SEO principles can be applied to social media management to optimize content for visibility. Using relevant keywords and hashtags is a crucial strategy for appearing in social media searches.

Gen Z and subsequent generations show a high preference for social media searches over traditional search engines like Google. For Gen Z, this percentage stands at 46%. This indicates a significant shift in how information is sought and consumed.

While social media provides quick access to information, there are challenges regarding the credibility of that information. Unlike Google, social media content often prioritizes popularity over accuracy.

Each social media platform serves different user needs and has different search purposes. For instance, TikTok is preferred for video tutorials and storytime content, while Pinterest is useful for visual ideas and inspiration.

Incorporating trending hashtags and participating in popular social media trends can increase content visibility. Even though some claim hashtags are "dead," they remain effective on platforms like TikTok.

Creating playlists or categorized content can help keep the audience engaged. This tactic is similar to YouTube's recommended videos, making it easier for viewers to find related content.

As younger generations, like Gen Alpha, grow up with social media, the reliance on these platforms for search purposes is only expected to increase. Businesses and content creators need to prepare for this ongoing shift.

Effective use of social media search optimization and SEO can become a marketable skill. Podcasters and marketers can monetize their expertise by offering these skills as services to others.

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Each week, one of The Circle of Experts talks about critical aspects of growing your podcast. We focus on marketing, social media, monetization, website design, and implementation of all of these to help you make the best podcast possible.

Have a question or an idea for one of our episodes? Send us an email at [e-mail].

The Circle of Experts are:

Yasmine Robles from Robles Designs

Tonnisha English-Amamoo of TJE Communications

Don The Idea Guy

Brett Johnson, My Podcast Guy, from Circle270Media Podcast Consultants

Copyright 2024 Brett Johnson, My Podcast Guy™

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):

https://uppbeat.io/t/abbynoise/face-game

License code: IUDJXGXP8JAXJVJS

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/