Search Everywhere Optimisation: Beyond Google for Small Businesses

Intro

Google still dominates search with nearly 90% market share. But that statistic masks a fundamental shift in how people actually find businesses. The discovery journey now fragments across platforms your Google Analytics can't track.

A potential customer might spot your competitor on TikTok, verify them on Reddit, check reviews on Google Maps, then book directly through Instagram. Traditional SEO captures one touchpoint in a five-step journey. The businesses winning in 2026 appear everywhere that journey happens.

For small businesses with limited marketing budgets, this fragmentation creates both challenge and opportunity. You can't compete with enterprise brands across every platform simultaneously. But you can dominate the specific channels where your customers actually search. A focused digital marketing strategy that prioritises the right platforms beats scattered presence across all of them.

The numbers tell a compelling story. Google Lens now processes over 20 billion visual searches monthly—more than double the previous year. TikTok has become the primary search engine for over half of Gen Z users. Reddit's AI-powered search launched in late 2024, positioning it as a trust-verification layer between discovery and purchase. YouTube remains the world's second-largest search engine, processing billions of how-to and product research queries daily.

Search everywhere optimisation means appearing where your specific audience looks—not just where marketing tradition says you should be.

The Gen Z Search Behaviour Shift

The statistics are stark. 53% of Gen Z users now turn to TikTok, Reddit, or YouTube before Google when looking for information. Google usage among this demographic has dropped 25% compared to Gen X. Nearly 40% prefer TikTok or Instagram over Google for local recommendations.

This isn't generational quirk—it's rational behaviour. Gen Z grew up with algorithmic feeds that learned their preferences. They expect search results personalised to their context, delivered in formats they prefer. Google's blue links feel like reading a phone book when you're accustomed to video answers.

But this shift isn't limited to teenagers. 46% of Gen Z and 35% of millennials prefer social media over traditional search engines. As these cohorts age into primary purchasing demographics, their search habits become mainstream behaviour.

The implications for small businesses are significant. If your target market skews younger, Google-only SEO misses half your potential customers. Even if you target older demographics, their children and younger colleagues influence purchasing decisions using platforms you're invisible on.

Platform-Specific Search Behaviours

TikTok: The Visual Answer Engine

TikTok search differs fundamentally from Google. Users expect video answers under 60 seconds. They trust creator recommendations over corporate content. The algorithm rewards engagement over authority signals.

What people search on TikTok: recipes (36% of searches), music discovery (35%), workout routines (29%), and products/services (25%). For service businesses, this means demonstrating expertise through short-form video rather than written content.

A Belfast plumber posting 30-second videos showing common pipe problems gets discovered by TikTok users searching "why is my radiator cold at the bottom." That same content repurposed as YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels multiplies visibility without multiplying effort.

The algorithm favours consistency over production quality. Daily posts from a smartphone outperform weekly polished videos. Authenticity signals—real job sites, actual customer interactions, genuine expertise—build trust faster than scripted content.

YouTube: The How-To Research Platform

YouTube remains the platform where people learn. Before hiring a tradesperson, homeowners watch videos about the problem. Before choosing software, business owners watch comparisons. Before booking services, prospects watch testimonials.

YouTube SEO operates differently from Google despite both being owned by Alphabet. Video titles, descriptions, and spoken content all contribute to search visibility. Chapters and timestamps help both algorithms and users find specific answers within longer videos.

For small businesses, YouTube serves dual purposes. It captures search traffic directly while also feeding Google's video carousel results. A video production strategy that creates searchable, educational content generates compounding returns across both platforms.

Long-form content works here. Ten-minute explainer videos that thoroughly cover topics outperform short clips for educational searches. The platform rewards watch time, so content that keeps viewers engaged ranks higher than content that answers quickly and loses attention.

Reddit: The Trust Verification Layer

Reddit's role in the discovery journey differs from other platforms. Users rarely discover brands on Reddit first. Instead, they visit Reddit to verify decisions they're already considering.

Search queries increasingly include "reddit" as a modifier. "Best accountant Belfast reddit" or "ProfileTree reviews reddit" reflect users seeking authentic opinions beyond controlled marketing messages. Google itself now prominently features Reddit results for many queries.

Reddit's December 2024 launch of AI-powered Reddit Answers intensified this trend. Users get synthesised responses drawn from over 100,000 communities, with source attribution. For businesses, this means Reddit discussions about your industry—and ideally your company—influence how AI systems summarise your reputation.

Participating authentically in relevant subreddits builds visibility. But Reddit users detect and punish promotional content instantly. Value contribution without expectation of immediate return. Answer questions thoroughly. Share genuine expertise. The community rewards helpfulness over time.

Pinterest: The Visual Planning Platform

Pinterest functions as a search engine for future purchases. Users save ideas for projects they'll eventually execute—home renovations, weddings, business branding, garden designs.

For businesses in visual industries, Pinterest delivers high-intent traffic. Someone searching "modern kitchen Belfast" and saving pins is actively planning a project. When they're ready to hire, businesses appearing in their saved collections have advantage.

Pinterest SEO focuses on image quality, keyword-rich descriptions, and board organisation. Unlike other social platforms, Pinterest content has extended shelf life. Pins from years ago continue generating traffic if they remain relevant to search queries.

Google Lens: The Visual Search Revolution

Google Lens searches jumped from 8 billion to 20 billion monthly during 2024. One in five of these searches shows commercial intent—users scanning products to find where to buy them.

This transforms how product-based businesses need to think about visibility. Customers photograph items in stores, at friends' houses, or in magazines, then search visually for purchase options. Your product images need optimisation for visual search recognition.

For service businesses, Google Lens impacts local discovery differently. Users photograph storefronts, business cards, or work vehicles. Ensuring your visual branding appears consistently and legibly across physical touchpoints affects digital discoverability.

High-quality images with proper metadata, alt text, and schema markup improve visual search visibility. Google pulls Lens results from across the web, including Google Business Profile images, website photos, and third-party platforms like Pinterest and Amazon.

Building a Multi-Platform Presence

The Content Multiplication Framework

Small businesses can't create unique content for every platform. The solution: create once, adapt everywhere.

Start with your deepest expertise. Record a comprehensive video explaining something your customers frequently ask about. This single recording becomes:

YouTube: Full-length educational video with chapters and timestamps.

TikTok/Reels/Shorts: Three to five short clips highlighting key points.

Blog post: Transcribed and edited into written content with images.

LinkedIn: Professional summary with key takeaways.

Pinterest: Infographic summarising main points.

Reddit: Basis for answering relevant community questions.

One hour of content creation, distributed strategically, generates presence across six platforms. Each platform's audience sees format-appropriate content without recognising it originated elsewhere.

Platform Prioritisation for Different Business Types

Not every platform suits every business. Prioritise based on where your specific customers search.

Local service businesses (plumbers, electricians, cleaners): Google Business Profile remains primary. YouTube for how-to content. TikTok for younger homeowners. Reddit for reputation verification.

Professional services (accountants, solicitors, consultants): LinkedIn for B2B discovery. YouTube for educational content. Google for search visibility. Reddit for industry discussions.

Retail and e-commerce: Instagram and TikTok for product discovery. Pinterest for aspirational planning. Google Shopping for purchase intent. YouTube for product reviews.

Hospitality and food: Instagram for visual appeal. TikTok for behind-the-scenes content. Google Maps for local discovery. TripAdvisor and specialist platforms for reviews.

Creative services: Instagram and Pinterest for portfolio visibility. YouTube for process content. LinkedIn for B2B clients. Behance and Dribbble for industry recognition.

Measuring Multi-Platform Performance

Traditional analytics miss multi-platform attribution. Someone discovers you on TikTok, researches on Google, verifies on Reddit, then calls directly. Your analytics show a phone call with no digital attribution.

Build measurement approaches that capture the full journey:

Ask new enquiries how they found you. Simple, direct, and reveals platforms analytics miss.

Track branded search volume. Increases in people searching your business name indicate growing awareness from platforms driving discovery.

Monitor platform-specific metrics. TikTok views, YouTube watch time, Pinterest saves, Reddit mentions—each platform provides signals even when conversions happen elsewhere.

Use UTM parameters consistently. Every link you share should include tracking parameters identifying its source platform.

Survey customers post-purchase. Ask which platforms influenced their decision. Aggregate responses reveal patterns individual transactions obscure.

AI Search and Platform Convergence

AI assistants like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity are becoming search platforms themselves. 41% of users across all age groups now use ChatGPT for information seeking, with one in three calling it their go-to search assistant.

These AI systems pull information from across the web—including social platforms, forums, and video transcripts. Your presence on YouTube, Reddit, and other platforms influences what AI assistants say about your industry and potentially your business.

The convergence means search everywhere optimisation serves dual purposes. You reach humans directly on each platform while simultaneously feeding the AI systems that increasingly mediate information discovery.

Content structured for AI citation—clear factual statements, definitive recommendations, quotable expertise—performs better both for direct platform visibility and for AI training and retrieval.

Practical Implementation for Small Businesses

Week One: Audit Current Presence

Search your business name across platforms. What appears on TikTok? YouTube? Reddit? Pinterest? Note gaps and inaccuracies.

Search your primary services on each platform. Who appears? What content format dominates? What questions do users ask?

Identify where your competitors have presence you lack. These gaps represent immediate opportunities.

Week Two: Establish Foundation Profiles

Claim and optimise profiles on priority platforms even before creating content. Consistent branding, complete information, and linked websites establish presence.

Connect platforms where possible. YouTube channel linked to Google Business Profile. Instagram connected to Facebook. TikTok linked to Instagram. Cross-platform connection builds cumulative authority.

Week Three: Create Cornerstone Content

Produce one substantial piece of content addressing your most common customer question. Film it as video, even if rough. This becomes source material for platform-specific adaptations.

Edit into platform-appropriate formats. Vertical cuts for TikTok and Reels. Horizontal for YouTube. Transcription for blog and LinkedIn. Key frames for Pinterest graphics.

Week Four: Establish Posting Rhythm

Sustainable presence beats intensive bursts. One TikTok weekly, one YouTube video monthly, one LinkedIn post weekly—maintained consistently—outperforms daily posting that burns out within months.

Schedule content batches when possible. Record multiple videos in single sessions. Write several LinkedIn posts simultaneously. Batch creation reduces ongoing time investment.

Ongoing: Monitor, Respond, Refine

Search everywhere optimisation requires ongoing attention rather than one-time setup. Platform algorithms change. User behaviour shifts. Competitor activity evolves.

Set monthly reviews examining platform-specific metrics. Which content resonates? Which platforms drive enquiries? Where should effort increase or decrease?

Respond to engagement across platforms. Comments answered build community. Questions addressed demonstrate expertise. Criticism handled professionally shows character.

The Competitive Advantage of Early Adoption

Most small businesses still focus exclusively on Google. This creates opportunity for businesses willing to diversify earlier.

Establishing YouTube presence now builds authority before your competitors arrive. Creating TikTok content today reaches audiences your competitors ignore. Participating authentically on Reddit builds reputation while others dismiss the platform.

Platform-specific expertise compounds over time. The business posting weekly TikTok videos for a year has 52 pieces of content, algorithmic understanding, and audience relationship that new entrants cannot instantly replicate.

Search everywhere optimisation isn't about abandoning Google. It's about recognising that customer journeys span multiple platforms and positioning your business to appear throughout that journey—not just at the end when Google finally gets involved.

The businesses thriving in 2026 meet customers where they actually search. For a growing percentage of those customers, that's somewhere other than Google.