Three new search revolutions: Tik Tok, WeChat, and Xiaohongshu!

As the Internet develops rapidly today, traditional search methods are being or have been subverted by some emerging platforms. This article will explore in depth the significant impact of Douyin, WeChat, Xiaohongshu platforms and AI on user search habits and behavior patterns, as well as the revolutionary changes they have brought to the search field. Let's take a look!

Now when I click on various APPs, the word I get is “annoying”.

I am annoyed by all kinds of ads that I can’t skip; after buying a membership to skip ads, I am annoyed by soft ads and advertising banners; I am also annoyed by all kinds of software “reading” us.

When information overload becomes serious, search becomes a more efficient and accurate way of matching information, and users return to the same place where they used the Internet 20 years ago.

Search marketing has evolved from a traffic portal in the PC era to a subscription system, information flow, and the integration of communities, short videos, and live broadcasts. After all, interactions, scenarios, and search content will change, but the user's "search" needs will not change. Active information retrieval has always existed since ancient times. What we need to iterate is the logic of "search marketing" for brands facing new scenarios.

The entire industry has already launched three new search revolutions, but only Baidu is either unaware of it or unwilling to realize it.

1. Search paths and results changed by AI

In the past one or two years, everyone who watches TikTok should have this feeling. If you often watch sports videos, the search results may be recommendations for sports equipment. If you watch my camping videos, the search results may be reviews of tents. The advertisements are indeed not so hard to be offensive.

First, search advertising is less dependent on manual labor. AI not only makes search more convenient, it also catalyzes a paradigm shift in processing information.

For example, searching for "how to apply for a visa" on traditional search engines may bring up many random websites, but searching for "how to apply for a visa" on Xiaohongshu will directly bring up experience sharing posts, where you just need to follow the process. AI can make answers more efficient and easier to obtain, because AI's judgment is no longer based on cold keyword recognition. It can grasp our acceptance of search results, match preferences, and provide information effortlessly.

We don’t need too precise keywords to search for what we want. For example, when searching for “一地基毛” on WeChat, it will not prompt you “Do you want to search for 一地鸡毛?” Instead, a lot of fund information will appear, which is the information and tools you need; when searching for “徐三多XX系列” on Xiaohongshu, KOCs and KOLs will tell you how to choose Shiseido for your skin type instead of the TV series “兵攻略”; the same is true for Douyin. When searching for hot words, hot topics, and new products, what you will find are really useful tips and content that I am interested in.

In AI-driven searches, every response actually stimulates the user's curiosity and encourages further exploration.

What is important is that the platforms that now bear the responsibility of search must not only meet consumers’ active search needs, but also take on the next step of development of search results.

For example, when searching on WeChat, the mini program may lead to purchases or information retention, while searching on Xiaohongshu may directly lead to purchases for commercial monetization, or on Douyin, it may lead to live broadcast rooms.

Therefore, search is no longer search, but a symbol of consumers becoming more rational. When they make important decisions, they will return to the "active search" mode; when they are struggling with A or B, they will return to the "search comparison" mode. At this time, brands can not only see the convertible population, but also convert search traffic into brand assets.

2. Subverting the Classical Funnel Model

We all know that traditional search traffic is funnel-shaped, with rough advertising ranking, creative optimization, fine advertising ranking, auctions, and bidding. It is a complex multi-level structure.

But in the search of 2024, the funnel marketing process has been turned upside down.

1. WeChat search: the value of data with user relationships

From the perspective of search structure, WeChat search traffic now covers high-frequency social usage scenarios such as chat, Moments, and public account articles.

WeChat has previously demonstrated the connection from search to application scenarios (especially mini-programs), and the ways of advertising monetization are becoming more and more diverse. Now, using search to guide conversions, build private domains, and create one's own customer pool has become standard in various industries.

Tencent's entire family of products has a very strong "social capability" and can meet almost all the needs of search users. For example, the "use it now" mini program allows brands to build initial user relationships with users; corporate WeChat groups can provide long-term services and bring in corporate endorsements; and in the most traditional public accounts, video accounts, and Moments ads, the brand's concept can be continuously deepened.

2. Tik Tok’s heuristic search

Supplement the connection links between people and e-commerce/live streaming/brands to create incremental growth.

From the perspective of the search structure, the associative function of the Douyin search box is very strong. First of all, the "Guess what you want to search" and "understand me" user experience are very strong. There are 1-2 features in the previous video, as well as several contents you may want to watch, and a live broadcast room, making "searching while swiping" a natural thing.

In addition, there is “Everyone is searching” in the comment section.

We know that Douyin has a high percentage of advertisements. From the location of the search box, we can see that Douyin has been guiding users to actively search, without any offensive sense of forced insertion of advertisements. Using softer video content to plant grass, let the search represent users' clearer and fresher ideas, and the corresponding conversion rate will be higher.

3. Xiaohongshu’s life-oriented search

From the perspective of search structure, Xiaohongshu's search interface is divided into two parts: Guess what you want to search and search discovery list.

Xiaohongshu's guessing search is very close to life and warm, because when we get content on Xiaohongshu, the information we get is provided by real "people". It is understood that Xiaohongshu will give more traffic to mid-level creators or long-tail content, that is, give "real people" more opportunities. If you search for a vertical content, the note with the most likes and views may be written by an amateur:

This realistic presentation of search results has led more and more users to form the habit of making decisions on Xiaohongshu, that is, searching for reviews, sellers’ and buyers’ notes before buying a product to avoid spoilers. Moreover, the notes for planting grass are more humane and have finer data granularity, which makes the demand connection between brands and users stronger.

Their search conversions are no longer funnel models, but they can help brands reach customers more efficiently.

In the past, in non-search engine apps, the loss of search information and the lack of follow-up caused a huge loss of traffic. Personalized recommendations based on algorithms have their own limitations. When users are blindly immersed in the interests created by algorithms, once their interest disappears and they quit, they will not open Souyisou, Xiaohongshu, or Douyin for many days.

However, after combining search with the commercialization path, search has changed from a tool to an indispensable application. There is no need to follow the old funnel model in search engines. Whether it is snowballing or frisbee, the search plate has been greatly expanded.

3. Three types of invisible dividends brought by the three major search revolutions

1. The hidden benefits of WeChat search

In the WeChat ecosystem, the appearance of search results does not mean the end of an action, but the beginning of the brand’s accumulation of private relationships with users.

As mentioned earlier, Tencent’s entire family of products has strong social capabilities. Behind this “power”, how do we make good use of it?

For example, an organization has conducted a survey and found that high-end luxury brand users like to use WeChat the most, because based on the attribute of social networking among acquaintances, WeChat can bring high-end luxury a sense of independence that e-commerce platforms cannot create. This "sense of independence" is needed by all brands as they mature, because no one wants their user traffic to be controlled by others.

Therefore, there is a "long-term account" of marketing in WeChat search. I have seen a beauty retail brand that has been advertising outside WeChat in recent years. It has always asked people to search for its own mini-programs in WeChat. They have now integrated a series of user functions such as online shopping malls, membership centers, store services, etc., to achieve seamless connection between online and offline. It is a model as long as it is brought up.

It can also be understood in this way that the configuration of mini programs, official accounts, and video accounts should explore how to turn instant searches into long-term following. This is equivalent to applying for a "physical membership card" that was popular more than ten years ago. Especially for brands that value customer relationship assets, Souyou can import large-scale public domain traffic at a lower cost.

2. The hidden benefits of searching on Xiaohongshu

Data from Xiaohongshu shows that nearly 70% of monthly active users search on Xiaohongshu, and one-third of monthly active users go straight to search as the first thing they do when they open Xiaohongshu.

The usefulness, universality and content richness of searches on Xiaohongshu can directly stimulate users' potential purchasing desires and direct purchasing needs.

For example, before the wedding, I searched for "imitation Australian white" pearl necklaces on Xiaohongshu and found that a Xiaohongshu store was cheaper than the Orange Software, and there were many real amateur reviews telling you which one to buy to match your clothes. It solves the three problems of wedding preparation + matching + accessories purchase in one stop, so Xiaohongshu's search efficiency for many lifestyle content is higher than that of traditional search engines.

Moreover, the business needs that arise from Xiaohongshu often require professional knowledge and deep understanding to answer, and sometimes even make people feel extremely sincere.

The "Cao's Duck Neck Exposing Chili Essence" incident was treated as a meme by everyone on Xiaohongshu a few days ago. Some people said that Cao's honesty was dazzling. In fact, this is an example of rationally using Xiaohongshu to circle the brand's own audience pool.

Personal experiment, because Cao's is very popular, I clicked on Xiaohongshu's guess what you want to search for and it turned out to be Cao's duck neck:

At a time when everyone is disgusted and condemning the technology and ruthlessness of pre-prepared meals, Cao revealed on Xiaohongshu that he used chili essence. People did not dwell on the technology and ruthlessness, but instead focused on "You don't mind that I'm poor, and I don't mind that you're bad." The last company that was so tolerant was Mixue Bingcheng. By making good use of Xiaohongshu's search, it can even better feed back into product development and maintain the brand's "die-hard fans."

3. The hidden benefits of Douyin search

According to official information, in 2023, the average user will search on Douyin more than 3 times a day, and independent search traffic accounts for 18%.

The volume of searches on Ocean Engine has doubled for two consecutive years. Search marketing scenarios can cover users who are not reached by information flow, accounting for between 12% and 14%. Users who are reached by information flow ads but not converted can subsequently bring a 24% increase in conversions through search ads.

For merchants, everything from search traffic to verification can be completed in the Douyin ecosystem, improving the experience on both ends.

I have heard of a case where Guangzhou Chimelong once placed a keyword "Where to go in Guangzhou?" on Douyin this year. This question not only took advantage of the summer vacation, but also appeared in various Guangzhou-related video search results. "Where to go in Guangzhou?" is not a hot word, and the price of placing it is not high, but it is said that the GMV of users who placed orders for Chimelong Paradise group purchase cards after searching exceeded 1 million.

Therefore, the benefits of Douyin search not only allow users who are interested in brands to watch videos, place orders, and make payments, but also provide a familiar and safe trading venue for Douyin transactions. The search bar can also explore interactive gameplay such as participating in challenges and creating topic content, and it is not impossible to jump to the order or information retention page by clicking through the brand area. An advertising company told me that this year, more brands have approached them to propose Douyin challenge mini-game plans for the Spring Festival, and some brands have already started planning in July.

4. Brand and search binding is still a must

To sum up, in search marketing in 2024, users’ demands will definitely be more precise; how search portals can import large-scale public domain traffic at a lower cost and with higher quality will become an important issue for the sustained growth of business.

Especially in non-search engines, users who conduct searches do not even need to plant seeds. They are "super high-quality users" who have already been planted on other platforms and can directly pull out the seeds.

Therefore, when facing these users, the search engines in 2024 need to be the "worms" in the users' stomachs. It is important to speak practical information, speak human language, and show a sincere attitude. It is best to "satisfy user needs with the first search result or the first page." Similarly, if brands want to operate in the long term, they must also establish a holistic view of traffic and not ignore the importance of search channels. Understanding the flow of users is more important than working hard.

Every change in search trends provides new opportunities for brands. Brands must remember that in 2024, search traffic will be directed at you, and binding search marketing to most brands is still a must.

Chief writer: Zhenhuan Chuan, article architect: Miaomiao

Official account: Party A Finance