Not long ago, Google was the go-to place for search, and brands focused all their energy there, polishing their keywords, perfecting their pages, hoping to be seen. But the world has now changed.
Today, people search not in one place, but in many. They look for recipes on TikTok, reviews on Amazon, advice on Reddit, where to buy on Google Lens, and answers from AI. That means, search has fractured, and is scattered across a wide digital landscape.
That’s where Search Everywhere Optimisation (SEvO) comes in. SEvO does not replace traditional SEO but extends it. It recognises that visibility today means being present across platforms, formats, and technologies, from search engines and social feeds to AI chatbots and voice assistants.
In a world where customers wander through many digital doors, SEvO ensures that your brand greets them at each threshold.
Why Search Everywhere Optimisation matters?
Every click, scroll, and voice command is a chance to be found. SEvO helps your brand seize them all.
Evolving user behaviour
Search is no longer a ‘one track pony’. There are multiple places to find the information you are looking for. For example, a teenager might type into TikTok, a parent might ask Alexa, a business leader might scroll LinkedIn for wisdom. That means, each person searches differently.
Google itself admitted in 2022 that nearly 40% of Gen Z prefer TikTok or Instagram over Google Search when looking for a place to eat or shop. On YouTube, people type “how-to” queries billions of times each year. Amazon has quietly become the default search engine for products. And people also open AI assistants like ChatGPT or Gemini to ask direct, conversational questions.
If your content only lives on Google, you’re speaking to fewer and fewer of your potential audience. To be found, your brand must move with them, meeting them in the spaces where they ask their questions.
A fractured search landscape
Google no longer controls how people discover information. Today, search happens across many places like a video, a product listing, a chatbot response, a forum post, and more. Every platform matters for your business. If you are not present, you risk losing customers. If you are visible, you gain an advantage over competitors.
This shift makes marketing more complex but also more focused on real user needs. People do not just want information; they look for stories, credibility, and community. They may seek the same answer in different ways, comparing how it is presented on each platform.
SEvO addresses this by tailoring your content for each platform, ensuring your message connects effectively without repeating the same approach everywhere.
Expanded opportunity
Yes, the search landscape is divided, but each platform offers an opportunity.
- Being visible on TikTok helps you reach new audiences. Being visible on TikTok helps you reach new audiences. For example, Duolingo’s TikTok presence drives 2.5M organic views a day, becoming a benchmark for platform-native brand visibility.
- Being strong on Amazon connects you with ready-to-buy customers.
- Being trusted by AI ensures your brand is included in future answers.
Optimising across all platforms expands your reach, increases your audience, and makes your message widely seen. Visibility creates familiarity, and familiarity builds trust.
From Traditional SEO to Search Everywhere Optimisation
To understand how much search has changed, let’s compare how brands used to optimise for visibility versus what they need to do now.
| Aspect | SEvO Then (Traditional SEO) | SEvO Now (Search Everywhere Optimisation) |
| Platforms | Mostly Google | Google, social media, e-commerce, AI, voice, forums |
| Content format | Text-heavy web pages | Blogs, videos, posts, AI FAQs, product listings |
| User reach | General audience | Audience segmented by platform & intent |
| Metrics | Google rankings, clicks | Multi-platform visibility, engagement, sales, AI reach |
| Goal | Appear on top of search results | Be visible wherever users search, in the right format |
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The platforms that matter
Every platform tells a different story about your brand. When you know how to use them properly, your voice will reach the right audience.
Search engines
Being at the top of Google and Bing is important. Your website needs good SEO, strong backlinks, and useful content. But that’s not enough anymore. Search engines are now AI-driven, and how your content is set up using snippets, schema, and trust signals will decide if AI shows your brand in its answers.
Social media
There are plenty of social media platforms available these days.
- TikTok: Short, entertaining, platform-native videos rule. Duolingo’s daily TikTok posts became a benchmark for brand visibility, achieving millions of organic views.
- Instagram: Visual storytelling matters. Nike leverages Instagram Reels to showcase product launches, lifestyle content, and user stories, driving engagement that supports conversions.
- LinkedIn: Professional insights win. HubSpot regularly posts guides, reports, and infographics that are saved and shared, positioning the brand as a thought leader.
- Reddit: Authentic community engagement counts. Gymshark built a loyal following by participating in Reddit fitness communities, answering questions, and sharing behind-the-scenes content.
Each platform works like a search engine in its own way, so your content must fit the style of each one. More people now use social media to search, and they trust what creators and communities share. This makes having a strong social presence important for being seen and trusted.
E-commerce marketplaces
Amazon, Etsy, and Argos Marketplace are not just online shops, they are search engines for products. People coming here are ready to buy, not just browse. Your titles, reviews, descriptions, and images decide if your product is seen or ignored by the users. Today, more than half of product searches begin on Amazon, not Google.
To succeed, you need more than keywords. On Amazon, focus on reviews, images, and delivery. On Etsy, write clear and engaging descriptions. On Argos Marketplace, keep your prices competitive. Each site has its own rules for trust and ranking.
AI & voice assistants
People now use voice assistants and AI to search what they are looking for. They ask questions like, ‘Alexa, where’s the nearest SEO marketing agency?’ or ‘ChatGPT, how do I improve my marketing skills with no time?’
If you want to appear in these answers, your content should be very clear, structured, and conversational. Most of the voice searches are longer and sound more natural. AI questions expect detail and context.
To optimise, write content that is easy to understand and full of meaning, so these tools can trust it. As more people use AI and voice every day, the brands that show up first will have a big advantage.
Other digital spaces
Local apps, community forums, and niche platforms may not have the scale of Google or Amazon, but they are important for building trust. A mention on Nextdoor can bring in a local customer. A useful post on Reddit can create long-term followers.
A complete and updated profile on TripAdvisor can increase bookings for a restaurant. On these platforms, authority is built through consistent contributions and positive interactions, not just algorithms.
How to bring SEvO to Life?
SEvO works when your brand is easy to find everywhere people search.
1. Understand user intent
2. Tailor content formats
One piece of content can be used in many ways. A blog can turn into a video, a video into a post, or a post into a chatbot reply. Each platform needs a different format.
For example, a blog about “best eco-friendly water bottles” can become:
- A 10-minute YouTube review
- A 30-second TikTok showing features
- An Amazon description with tables
- An FAQ list for AI tools
The topic stays the same, but the format changes.
3. Maintain a cohesive brand presence
Even if the style changes, your brand should look and sound the same everywhere. Use the same colours, tone, and message so people know it’s you, whether on LinkedIn, Amazon, or Alexa. This builds trust with both people and search platforms.
4. Leverage platform-specific tactics
Every platform has its own rules. TikTok likes hashtags and sounds. Amazon looks at reviews and details. Voice assistants need clear answers. Reddit values honest posts.
Examples:
- TikTok: Use captions and text overlays
- Instagram: Add keywords to alt text, not just hashtags
- Amazon: Use strong product images and details
- LinkedIn: Write posts that people want to save or share
- AI tools: Add schema markup and FAQs
Small changes for each platform can make a big difference.
5. Use data as your compass
Track what works and what doesn’t. See where clicks lead to sales and where posts bring conversations. Keep testing and improving.
Don’t just watch Google rankings. Check TikTok reach, Amazon sales, and chatbot traffic too. Use tools to bring all the data together so you can see how each platform helps the customer journey.
The future of SEvO
Search is expanding across more platforms and formats. AI is already shaping the answers people see, voice assistants are becoming part of daily life, and personalisation makes every result different for each user. To keep up, brands must go beyond visibility and work toward becoming essential.
Soon, AI may summarise not just websites but also reviews, posts, and listings into one single answer. To be included, brands will need strong trust signals such as expertise, transparency, and relevance. The businesses that prepare early will be in the best position to lead in this new search environment.
Search is no longer limited to one platform. People look for answers across Google, social media, AI tools, voice assistants, and more. Search Everywhere Optimisation means making sure your brand is visible on all of them, in the right format.
Want to know where your brand is visible — and where it’s invisible? Request a free SEvO audit and we’ll map your current search footprint across Google, TikTok, Amazon, AI tools, and more.
