The way consumers search, discover and purchase products is rapidly changing.
Traditional search engines like Google have dominated this process, but the lengthy, multi-step journey often leads to drop-offs and a fragmented experience.
Today’s consumers, especially younger ones, want faster, seamless experiences. TikTok and YouTube are capitalizing on this, transforming ecommerce by integrating discovery and purchasing directly in-app. This shift threatens to reduce the role of traditional search engines.
If you want to stay competitive in this evolving ecommerce landscape, understanding how TikTok and YouTube are streamlining the buying journey is key.
This article explores how these platforms transform the traditional search process, offering new opportunities to boost engagement and drive conversions through social search and shoppable content.
A look at the traditional search journey
The traditional search journey takes users from awareness to conversion, starting with broad informational queries as they research their needs, read reviews and compare options.
As they move through the funnel, searches become more specific, often leading to ecommerce platforms or brand websites where purchases are made.
SEO and PPC ads play a key role in capturing attention throughout.
However, this process can be long and complex, with multiple touchpoints that may cause distractions or drop-offs.
TikTok and YouTube simplify this by combining discovery, consideration and purchase into one seamless experience.
How TikTok and YouTube are redefining product discovery
Product discovery is rapidly evolving, with TikTok and YouTube becoming essential for brand awareness and consumer engagement, especially among younger audiences.
These platforms are no longer just for entertainment or education – they’re now key sources for discovering new products and brands.
At the core of this shift is the influence of visual content and creators.
User-generated videos, influencer marketing and product demos connect with audiences in ways traditional ads can’t, offering authenticity and trust as creators showcase products in real-life scenarios.
A major game-changer is the integration of direct shopping features on both platforms. This allows users to easily buy products without leaving the app.
This streamlined experience encourages instant purchases, perfectly catering to the habits of today’s digital consumers.
Dig deeper: Search, social and retail: The future of digital brand experiences
In-app shopping on TikTok and YouTube is changing traditional search behavior by merging product discovery and purchase into a single, seamless experience.
This reduces the time spent in each stage of the buying process, increasing conversion rates by minimizing distractions.
The lines between content, commerce and entertainment are blurring, creating a new model for online shopping.
Users are increasingly skipping traditional search engines and turning to social platforms for product recommendations and instant buying options. This shift from research-driven searches to more transactional, trend-focused ones reshapes online search.
Traditional search engines are losing dominance in ecommerce as consumers trust creators, visual content and real-time interactions more.
TikTok and YouTube’s social commerce is quickly becoming the preferred shopping method, especially among younger users.
This shift presents both challenges and opportunities for brands. They must now optimize for search engines and social commerce, creating engaging, shoppable content and using creators to drive conversions.
Adapting to these new platforms is essential to staying visible and boosting sales in today’s digital market.
Dig deeper: Is TikTok a search engine? Why meeting searchers’ needs matters more than semantics
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How a luxury resale brand uses TikTok: Case study
Luxe Collective, a UK-based luxury resale brand, showcases how brands can use TikTok’s ecommerce tools like TikTok LIVE Shopping and TikTok Shop to boost sales and engage audiences.
Luxe Collective has transformed how consumers find and buy high-end fashion products by blending its pre-loved luxury items with TikTok’s social commerce features.
Embracing TikTok LIVE Shopping
Luxe Collective’s success on TikTok can be attributed to its LIVE shopping events. The brand uses its massive follower base (over 1.6 million on TikTok) to showcase products in real time.
These live sessions allow them to engage directly with consumers, offer product insights and respond to questions instantly, creating a sense of urgency and trust that encourages impulse buying.
By using creator-style content and live unboxings, Luxe Collective taps into the growing trend of social proof, where customers trust creators and influencers for their product choices.
The proof is in the sales that have come from this effort.
Ben Gallagher, Luxe Collective’s co-founder, recently shared on LinkedIn that they sold two luxury bags for a total of £12,000 during one of their LIVE shopping experiences.
This continues the brand’s success after its initial LIVE shopping experience launch earlier this year, where they sold 127 luxury items.
TikTok Shop integration
In addition to LIVE Shopping, Luxe Collective integrated the TikTok Shop feature, enabling users to purchase items directly within the app. Since the launch, they have sold 3,100 products.
The brand successfully merges educational and entertaining content with authentic storytelling and easy in-app purchases. This approach turns viewer engagement into sales by using the convenience of TikTok’s shopping features.
The impact
This approach has paid off significantly for Luxe Collective, as the positive results described above show.
The brand’s TikTok-driven strategy has helped it disrupt the luxury resale market, grow its sales and expand its audience.
As a pioneer in TikTok’s social commerce landscape, Luxe Collective’s ability to connect with users through engaging, live and authentic content positions it as a key example of how brands can redefine the search journey within a social platform – building a brand community.
By seamlessly merging discovery, engagement and purchasing, Luxe Collective demonstrates how TikTok’s ecommerce tools reshape the consumer journey, offering a compelling case for other brands to explore these features.
And they are starting too.
Beauty brand P. Louise, which had already embraced TikTok as a content platform, launched a TikTok shop and regularly sells on the platform, with 250,000 monthly orders.
Alongside this, they also launched a live shopping experience on the platform, making £1.5million within the 12-hour live session.
Key differences between traditional search and social search
When comparing traditional search to social search platforms like TikTok and YouTube in the context of ecommerce, the user experience diverges sharply.
Traditional search follows a transactional mindset. After initial awareness, users typically arrive with the intent to research, compare and make informed purchasing decisions. The focus is on users seeking out information to facilitate a deliberate decision.
In contrast, TikTok and YouTube center around emotionally driven, social commerce experiences.
Here, purchases are often driven by impulse, spurred on by engaging visual content, creator endorsements and community validation.
Users are not necessarily seeking products but discovering them organically through content, accelerating decision-making.
Content-driven commerce
Video content is key in reducing decision fatigue. The visual nature of TikTok and YouTube allows consumers to quickly assess a product’s utility and appeal without extensive research.
Endorsements by trusted creators lend credibility, making consumers more likely to purchase on the spot.
The community aspect is another key differentiator. Comments, live interactions and creator-led discussions in live streams or videos foster a sense of shared experience.
This real-time feedback can drive immediate purchases, as users see products in action and feel socially validated by peer and creator opinions.
In essence, TikTok and YouTube and the emerging social search platforms actually transform shopping into an engaging social experience, blurring the lines between content consumption and commerce.
In contrast, traditional search remains a tool for methodical, research-based shopping.
Dig deeper: Social search and the future of brand engagement
What does all this mean for brands, SEOs and wider marketing?
As TikTok and YouTube integrate ecommerce features, brands and marketers need to adapt their search strategies to optimize for both traditional search engines and social commerce platforms. They must embrace a “search everywhere” approach rather than focusing on just one platform.
With in-platform shopping, the search-to-buy process is no longer limited to Google or Bing.
Instead, TikTok and YouTube are becoming essential to the search journey, and brands must create content that thrives within these ecosystems.
Rethinking your search and SEO strategies
Brands must optimize their content for TikTok and YouTube by combining traditional SEO principles with social search strategies. This involves:
- Using relevant keywords for search functions.
- Incorporating hashtags, trending sounds and formats that resonate with these audiences.
Influencers, user creators and even employee creators play a vital role as brand ambassadors in this new search-to-buy process. Their recommendations can lead directly to purchases without leaving the app.
Embracing opportunities and challenges
There are clear opportunities and challenges for search marketers here.
- Growth potential: In-platform transactions offer opportunities for faster conversions and higher ROI, as users are more inclined to make impulse purchases when engaged.
- Navigating algorithm challenges: Brands face challenges with unpredictable platform-specific algorithms that often prioritize trending content over consistent engagement. Marketers may need to develop new skills and knowledge to adapt effectively.
- Increased competition: As more brands enter social commerce, competition for attention will intensify. This requires creative and authentic content strategies to maintain visibility.
Adapting to shoppable content
For ecommerce brands to thrive, they must integrate shoppable content effectively into their videos and live streams.
- Integrating shoppable content: Best practices include:
- Adding clear, clickable shopping links during live streams.
- Using in-video prompts to guide viewers to purchase options seamlessly.
- Using authentic creators: Engaging creators to demonstrate products authentically is essential for blending content and commerce. This approach resonates better with younger audiences on these platforms.
- Agility and engagement: Successful brands in social commerce will be those that can quickly adapt, engage audiences authentically and leverage creators and community to convert content into sales.
The rise of social search: TikTok and YouTube as ecommerce powerhouses
The rise of TikTok and YouTube as ecommerce platforms marks a significant shift in the traditional search journey.
Brands and marketers can no longer rely solely on search engines like Google for awareness, discovery and conversions.
Instead, these platforms – centered around entertainment, community and content – are now essential for consumers looking to find and purchase products.
To thrive in this new landscape, brands must be adaptable. This means optimizing for both traditional and social commerce ecosystems and adopting a holistic “search everywhere” approach.
Using creator-driven content and seamlessly integrating shopping features into videos and live streams is crucial.
Ultimately, the blending of content and commerce on TikTok and YouTube could redefine the concept of search.
We are moving toward a future where search becomes an experience rather than just a transactional process – especially as AI continues to evolve and influence these dynamics.
Brands that embrace this “search everywhere” mindset will be well-positioned to lead in the next iteration of the search journey.
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