I Used to Tell People to Focus on Google. Not Anymore.
So I’m sitting on my couch last month. Squeaky door hinge driving me nuts. And I realize something.
I didn’t Google it.
I opened YouTube first. Watched some guy spray WD-40. Then I went to Reddit to see if WD-40 was actually a bad idea (it is, apparently). Then TikTok showed me some hack involving a chopstick and grease I’d never heard of.
Three different searches. Three different platforms. Zero Google.
And I’m 36. Not exactly a TikTok teen.
That’s when it hit me. The way we search for stuff has completely broken apart. And most businesses haven’t noticed yet.
My Friend Thought I Was Crazy
I was talking to a friend who runs a small outdoor gear shop. Nice guy. Sells really good camping stuff.
He was complaining that his website traffic was down. Google rankings were fine. But fewer people were clicking through.
I asked him where his customers were hanging out online.
He said “Google, I guess.”
I pulled out my phone. Searched “best camping stove for backpacking” on TikTok. Thousands of videos. People testing stoves in the rain. Boiling water in parking lots. Real stuff.
None of them were him.
Then I searched the same thing on Reddit. Thread after thread of people arguing about fuel efficiency and weight. His brand was mentioned once. By a random customer.
Then YouTube. Hours of comparison videos. His products were in some of them. But he didn’t make any himself.
He was invisible. Everywhere except Google.
And here’s the thing. By the time someone gets to Google to search for a camping stove, they’ve already watched the TikTok videos, read the Reddit threads, and seen the YouTube comparisons. They’re just looking for the best price at that point.
He’d already lost them.
TikTok Isn’t Just for Dancing
I’m gonna say something that might annoy you.
If you think TikTok is just kids doing dances, you’re wrong. And you’re missing out.
People use TikTok like a search engine now. They type in “how to clean a cast iron skillet” or “what shoes to wear with wide leg pants” and they get answers. Real answers from real people.
Not blog posts. Not affiliate links disguised as reviews. Just people showing what worked for them.
A study from Adobe came out last year saying nearly half of Gen Z prefers TikTok over Google for search. Half. That’s not a small number.
And it’s not just Gen Z anymore. My 60-year-old uncle asked me last week if I’d seen the TikTok about fixing a garbage disposal. He doesn’t follow any influencers. He just searches for stuff.
If your business isn’t on TikTok with helpful content, you don’t exist to those people.
Reddit Is Weird. That’s Why It Works.
Reddit is the strangest platform. And honestly, it might be the most valuable.
Because when people search on Reddit, they’re not looking for marketing. They’re looking for honest opinions from strangers who have nothing to sell them.
There’s a subreddit for everything. r/coffee. r/homeimprovement. r/skincareaddiction. r/backpacking.
People go there and ask “what’s the best budget tent?” or “is this brand actually good or just good at marketing?”
And other strangers answer. Honestly. Brutally.
A few years ago, a study from Pew found that Reddit users trust recommendations from anonymous Redditors more than they trust brands themselves. Think about that. A complete stranger with a silly username has more credibility than a company with a million-dollar marketing budget.
If you want to show up in those searches, you can’t just post links to your products. You have to actually participate. Answer questions. Share what you’ve learned. Be helpful without asking for anything.
The second you act like a salesperson, they’ll tear you apart.
YouTube Is Old But People Forget About It
Everyone knows YouTube is a search engine. But nobody acts like it.
People search “how to tile a bathroom” or “what’s the difference between these two power tools” and YouTube serves up videos.
The algorithm pays attention to one thing above everything else. Does someone watch the whole video?
If people click away after 30 seconds, YouTube stops showing your stuff. If they watch until the end, YouTube shows it to more people.
So the trick is simple. Answer the question immediately. Show the solution in the first 30 seconds. Then add the context and details.
Most people get this backwards. They spend two minutes on an intro, telling you about their channel and asking you to subscribe. By then, the viewer is gone.
There’s a Thread Through All Three
Here’s what I’ve noticed about all these platforms. They all punish polish and reward realness.
A perfectly produced TikTok video flops. A shaky one of someone actually solving a problem takes off.
A Reddit comment that sounds like a press release gets downvoted. One that says “I tried this and here’s what happened” gets upvoted.
A YouTube video with a fancy intro loses viewers. One that starts with “here’s how you do it” keeps them.
People are tired of being sold to. They want help. They want answers. They want to see someone who actually knows what they’re talking about.
One Brand That Figured This Out
I know a guy who runs a small gardening supply company. Seeds, tools, that kind of thing.
He started posting on TikTok. Not fancy videos. Just him in his greenhouse, showing how to start seeds or deal with pests. No script. No editing. Just talking.
Then he went on Reddit. Answered questions in r/gardening about soil types and watering schedules. Never mentioned his store unless someone asked.
Then YouTube. Longer videos about specific plants. How to prune tomatoes. When to harvest peppers.
Within a few months, people started recognizing his name. They’d come to his website and mention seeing him on TikTok or Reddit.
He didn’t spend money on ads. He just showed up where people were already looking for answers.
Most Businesses Do This Wrong
Here’s what I see all the time.
A business posts the exact same photo on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and TikTok. Then they wonder why TikTok doesn’t work for them.
Because TikTok doesn’t want photos. It wants videos. Short, helpful, entertaining videos.
Reddit doesn’t want your blog post. It wants you to actually talk to people in the comments.
YouTube doesn’t want your slideshow. It wants you to look at a camera and explain something.
You have to meet each platform where it is. Not where you wish it was.
What You Should Actually Do
Look, I’m not going to give you a fancy checklist. Just think about this.
Where do your customers go when they have a question about what you sell?
Not where you want them to go. Where do they actually go?
If you don’t know, go search for your own products on TikTok. On Reddit. On YouTube. See what comes up. Is it you? Is it competitors? Is it random people talking about stuff?
Then start showing up. Not with ads. With help.
Answer questions. Make a video showing how to use your product. Write a thoughtful response on Reddit.
Don’t sell. Just help.
The selling comes later. After people trust you.
I’m Not Saying Google Is Dead
Google is still important. It’s still where people go when they’re ready to buy.
But that’s the thing. By the time they get to Google, they’ve already decided what to buy. They’re just looking for where to buy it.
If you’re not in the conversation before that moment, you’ve lost.
Search Everywhere isn’t about abandoning Google. It’s about realizing that Google is just one stop on a much longer journey.
And if you’re only at the last stop, you’re showing up too late.
