GLOBAL SEARCH or omni-platform search
SEO Expert
The search habits of users around the world are undergoing profound changes. Each need on the web translates into a search path where the user will use all the platforms available to him to obtain the information, the service or the object of his desires. This steers the user towards a journey that moves from search engines to social apps to marketplaces and AI assistants.
For advertisers, it is a necessity to be visible at all stages of the user journey and therefore to adopt a holistic approach to search optimization. Each platform has its own search engine and operation, different types of content and technical approaches, and a different purpose.
With each platform or type of platform attracting a different audience, advertisers must be fluid about formats, discourse, media, etc.
From now on, many consumers will start their buying journey by watching trials, unboxings or tutorials on a video platform (Youtube or TikTok), checking the availability of the product on a marketplace (Amazon, Facebook Marketplace) but also checking user reviews on a traditional search engine (Google, Bing).
Why is this important?
Let's imagine Lisa, a young tech enthusiast who is looking for a new smartphone. Her buying journey begins on YouTube, where she watches videos of unboxings and benchmarking tests to better understand the features of the latest models.
After spotting a model that interests her, she goes to Amazon and Facebook Marketplace to compare prices and check the availability of the product.
Before placing an order, she makes a detour to Google, where she consults user reviews to ensure the reliability of the product and the seller. Finally convinced, she finalizes her purchase on the platform that offered her the best value for money.
The multiplicity of platforms where the user makes his journey forces any company to see its visibility beyond traditional SEO confined to historical search engines. To find the user where he or she is, approaches sometimes called "Universal search optimization" (USO), "global search optimization" (GEO), "search everywhere optimization" contain a number of keys to unlock the brand's commercial potential and be present when and where the user is searching.
Why is this important?
Let's imagine Lisa, a young tech enthusiast who is looking for a new smartphone. Her buying journey begins on YouTube, where she watches videos of unboxings and benchmarking tests to better understand the features of the latest models.
After spotting a model that interests her, she goes to Amazon and Facebook Marketplace to compare prices and check the availability of the product.
Before placing an order, she makes a detour to Google, where she consults user reviews to ensure the reliability of the product and the seller. Finally convinced, she finalizes her purchase on the platform that offered her the best value for money.
The multiplicity of platforms where the user makes his journey forces any company to see its visibility beyond traditional SEO confined to historical search engines. To find the user where he or she is, approaches sometimes called "Universal search optimization" (USO), "global search optimization" (GEO), "search everywhere optimization" contain a number of keys to unlock the brand's commercial potential and be present when and where the user is searching.
What are the benefits for a brand?
Cross-platform visibility: Solid visibility across all the platforms the user can pass through during their journey is not only a guarantee of making an impression. It is also a multiplication of the chances of achieving the very objective of this presence: the transaction. With users comfortable depending on the medium, being where the user is confident makes the message more acceptable and the transaction more possible.
Better engagement: By adopting a message and formats that are more adapted to each platform, interactions with users are greatly facilitated and the relationship with users is stronger. So, you have to be visible with a video, an image or a graphic where the user wants to see you, readable with an article, an essay or a well-detailed product sheet where they want to read you and audible with a podcast or an audio article where they want to hear you. We can never repeat enough the concept of fluidity of content according to the platform, in the end, of the container.
Increased online presence: Being everywhere and in all forms simply translates into greater global visibility, a universal presence that minimizes your dependence on one platform or another. However, we must remain realistic and not forget that dependence on a particular media is not necessarily a choice but a direct consequence of users' habits. The goal is therefore to change the way all available channels interact with the user. With omnichannel optimization, it is possible to move from a fragmented presence with a single message to a universal presence with multiple and adapted messages.
So for whom and what to optimize?
There is a reality that is difficult to overcome: platforms and uses are intimately linked to socio-demographic characteristics that can be identified and quantified in many cases.
Comparison of platform uses according to generations and types of users
| User Generation / Type | Social media | Search engines | Forums & Communities | E-commerce |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Generation Z (1997-2012) | TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Discord for entertainment and quick interaction. Not much Facebook. | Fewer Google searches, favoring TikTok and YouTube for short, visual answers. | Active on Reddit, Discord, specialized forums (gaming, tech, lifestyle). | Impulse purchases on Amazon, mobile apps. Heavily influenced by social media. |
| Millennials (Y) (1981-1996) | Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn to socialize and follow the news. Gradually adopting TikTok and Discord. | Google remains essential for news and shopping. YouTube used for tutorials and reviews. | Use Reddit, specialized forums, Facebook groups for advice and thematic exchanges. | Frequent purchases via Amazon, Etsy, specialized sites, with an active search for reviews and price comparisons. |
| Generation X (1965-1980) | Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube for professional and family contacts. Not very active on TikTok/Snapchat. | Strong use of Google and Bing for in-depth searches, preferred official sources. | Active on specialized forums, Facebook groups, often for practical advice (DIY, finance, tech). | Convenient purchases on Amazon, eBay, strong price comparison, still attached to some physical stores. |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) | Facebook, WhatsApp to stay in touch with family and friends. Very little presence on other networks. | Google and Bing, detailed but cautious searches, favor reliable sites. | Low participation in forums, especially for reading and consulting practical information. | Moderate use of e-commerce, especially for targeted purchases and gifts on Amazon. Still attached to physical stores. |
Platform comparison and optimization criteria
| Platform Type | Examples (primary use) | Content to be optimized | Key Ranking Factors | Peculiarities |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Web Search Engines | Google, Bing (information search, websites) | Website pages (text content, HTML, etc.) | Keyword relevance, content quality (E-E-A-T), site authority (backlinks), technical aspects (speed, mobile) | Complex algorithms (~200+ signals for Google). Strong competition on generic words. Results in the form of blue links (+ snippets). Optimization focused on classic SEO. |
| Social media | Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn (content discovery, news tracking) | Brand profile/page and posts (text, image, video) | User engagement (likes, shares, comments), relevance to interests, recency of the post, past interactions of the user with the brand, perceived quality of the content | Custom recommendation algorithms. Limited organic reach (requires fast interactions). Various formats (stories, short videos...). Key community management. |
| Marketplaces e-commerce | Amazon, eBay, Etsy (search for products to buy) | Product sheet (title, description, images, price) | Keyword relevance (title/attributes), conversion rate and sales, competitive pricing, customer ratings, seller performance (shipping, service) | The algorithm favors what sells. Very competitive environment on popular products. Importance of the Buy Box (Amazon) and customer reviews. |
| Forums & Communities | Reddit, Quora, Discord, Stack Overflow (exchange of opinions, Q&A, mutual aid) | Posts, replies, threads (text content, links, multimedia on some platforms) | Engagement (votes, replies, shares), relevance of discussions, reputation of the author (karma, badges), freshness of content | Based on community interaction. Strong natural referencing (Reddit, Quora often ranked well on Google). Requires an authentic presence and valuable contributions to stand out. |