Relying solely on Google for SEO is no longer enough.
Expanding your SEO efforts to platforms like TikTok, Reddit and Quora can help you reach new audiences, build brand credibility and foster authentic connections.
This article covers nine essential strategies for diversifying your SEO approach beyond Google. These will allow your brand to thrive on various channels and meet users where they are.
1. Even Google is telling us it’s important to look elsewhere
Whether it’s helpful content, the tenets of E-E-A-T or the SERPs themselves, Google has been uncharacteristically transparent over the last few years in nudging marketers to share their experience and first-party perspectives to connect authentically with users.
This effort is part of why the SERP looks dramatically different today than it did a few years ago.
Compare this:
To this:
You can see that sections like AI Overviews, Perspectives and Discussions and Forums, all of which prominently showcase content from Reddit, Quora and TikTok, are great real estate for building a brand footprint.
I call this Google’s big shift from engines to experiences – which essentially means that SEOs need to evolve their approach from Google-centric keyword strategies to content that meaningfully engages the users, no matter which platform plays host.
2. Reddit results are popping – if you do it well
Reddit is booming on many fronts.
The platform’s advertising capabilities have developed substantially over the last year. This signifies demand for placements on a platform where users engage with content that they find authentic and trustworthy.
This also raises the organic stakes. Doing Reddit content well means you have a great chance to build engagement and equity with users in highly relevant niches (sub-Reddits).
One big caveat on Reddit, though. Redditors will sniff out (and call out) things like clickbait or spam in very short order and very blunt terms.
If you decide to include Reddit in your strategy – and you should, since good content there often appears in Google search results – focus on providing real value for Reddit users and following the platform’s rules.
Otherwise, you might find yourself highlighted for the wrong reasons (imagine a BuzzFeed list of cringeworthy brand posts on Reddit).
Quora, unlike Reddit, is more focused on education and less prone to crowdsourced stunts like the GameStop stock surge. It rewards users who provide genuine value to those seeking insights on specific topics and questions.
As with Reddit, Quora works best when you focus on building a community of users in your particular topic or niche. This means your content should:
- Answer questions directly and without overt agendas.
- Use keywords strategically – that is, only if they flow naturally into the content.
- Use links sparingly and only to add value (e.g., by providing deeper, richer insights relevant to the question).
In other words, don’t do this to answer a question like “How do I build my blog subscriber list?”
4. TikTok is inevitable
Many marketers are holding back on TikTok due to potential regulations, but this hesitation means missing out – B2B companies included.
TikTok’s For You page, user-focused approach, and new TikTok Shop are attracting a diverse range of users, far beyond Gen Z and younger millennials.
It’s quickly becoming a go-to platform for learning about various topics, from health and finance to legal insights and more.
5. TikTok is a different beast
Before you finally get off the fence and decide to get serious about your TikTok organic strategy, you need to understand that it doesn’t work like other platforms – especially not Google.
TikTok’s algorithm is centered more on users than keywords. This fuels user behavior oriented around questions and interests, not products or services.
TikTok users are far more likely to search, for example, for [why does my mood change in the winter?] than [supplements to treat seasonal depression].
Moreover, TikTok’s For You page surfaces new content based on past user behavior and interests – not keywords.
Because of this, TikTok is a powerful platform for discovery and for brands to align themselves as experts on issues or needs near and dear to TikTok’s users.
Tactics-wise, using hashtags, having mindful and consistent interaction with users and trend monitoring are all vital for success on TikTok. Still, maintaining authenticity is the most important (you might be sensing a theme here).
Get the newsletter search marketers rely on.
6. Users crave authenticity
Why am I harping on authenticity so much?
Because it’s the kind of content users want to consume, as study after study on user behavior and priorities over the last two years has shown.
Aim to build connection and trust over a quick sale and you’ll have a much healthier long-term content program.
Not coincidentally, success on the platforms we’ve already discussed relies on the same kind of approach.
7. People engage with people
Some brands can carry off a ton of personality on social media. (Wendy’s was one of the first to stand out using that approach.) For the most part, users want to feel like they’re part of a conversation, not being talked at from a corporate account.
This makes content like UGC (user-generated content), first-party POVs, customer spotlights and expert interviews great plays for engaging content.
8. Data still matters
While making your brand as relatable as possible to your ICP, remember that data can be a powerful accelerant to growth.
Use data to track user behavior on your website and other owned media.
Look for user engagement patterns to identify emerging trends and make sure you’re identifying peak days and times to optimize engagement with your users.
Make sure you’re A/B testing to find the most engaging variations of your content (e.g., a video mashup of people using your product vs. one person’s in-depth review) so you can apply those to future topics.
9. Communities and forums are underutilized growth opportunities
Especially in some industries, topic-specific communities and forums are underutilized growth opportunities.
Brands doing community engagement well practice initiatives like active participation (answering questions and sharing insights), event networking and influencer collaboration.
Communities and forums are also very rich sources of ICP insight.
Members of the communities and forums most relevant to your industry will deliver a ton of information on their challenges, pain points and even how they perceive you and your competitors in the market.
Make sure you’re finding a way to collect that knowledge and relay it to your marketing and product colleagues.
Dig deeper: SEO for user activation, retention and community
Watch: SEO beyond Google: Building your brand on Reddit, Quora, TikTok and more
Here’s my full presentation from SMX Advanced. Enjoy!
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.