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.
Contributing authors are invited to create content for Search Engine Land and are chosen for their expertise and contribution to the search community. Our contributors work under the oversight of the editorial staff and contributions are checked for quality and relevance to our readers. The opinions they express are their own.