Imagine you\u2019re on vacation, it\u2019s approaching noon and you\u2019re starting to feel hungry. You\u2019re eager to enjoy the best local cuisine your destination has to offer. So you go to Google Maps and search for \u201cbest lunch restaurant near me\u201d, a topic that\u2019s more than doubled in search volume on Google in the last three years alone.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Over 80% of searches<\/a> worldwide occur on Google based on the latest search engine market share data. You might think that you\u2019ve just completed the most common search journey to lunch. <\/p>\n However, nearly 40% of U.S. searchers<\/a> between the ages of 18 and 24 go to TikTok or Instagram when looking for a place for lunch, according to Google\u2019s own internal research. <\/p>\n In other words, if a restaurant in the area wants to attract this audience, their marketing strategy needs to extend beyond Google to include these platforms.<\/p>\n Now imagine if you were crunched for time and had decided you\u2019d rather order lunch in your room than go out to eat. <\/p>\n If you\u2019re vacationing in San Jose, consumers in your area are statistically more likely to find lunch on DoorDash<\/a>, whereas New York consumers are more likely to order through Uber Eats.\u00a0<\/p>\n Ultimately, these scenarios illustrate that when building a search marketing strategy, marketers need to consider the context behind a search, such as:<\/p>\n We need to erode the distinctions we have historically made between traditional search marketing domains (e.g., Google and Microsoft Bing) and the broader ecosystem of digital platforms.\u00a0<\/p>\n Search is one of the most common human behaviors in the digital space. It\u2019s no surprise that Google is the most-visited website<\/a> across the globe and all the top 10 most-visited websites worldwide feature a search experience that is core to the user experience. <\/p>\n Search is also one of the most valuable user behaviors for marketers because it is an expression of users\u2019 needs and intent. Search data is not only a key input into content and advertising strategies, but also it provides valuable insight into the mindset of high-value audiences (HVAs).\u00a0<\/p>\n As a result of technological innovation and shifts in user behavior, modern search marketing strategies must now consider a significantly broader set of platforms than ever before to effectively understand and market to target audiences and capture true search demand.\u00a0<\/p>\n The following are just a few examples of the variable nature of users\u2019 search engine consideration sets, and the platforms that should be on every search marketer\u2019s radar.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n