Why Every Platform is a Search Engine Now and What That Means for Small Businesses
- 2 days ago
- 15 min read
Written by Rocio Sanchez, SEO-First Brand Strategist
Marketing by Rocio is a multicultural and multilingual brand strategy and digital marketing agency, helping LGBTQ-focused brands stand out in their industries.
For years, SEO was mostly associated with Google. Today, people search everywhere: ChatGPT, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, YouTube, online directories, and industry-specific platforms. While the tools have changed, the goal hasn't. People are still looking for answers, services, and expertise. Businesses that understand how discoverability works across platforms will have a significant advantage in the years ahead.
Your audience is looking for answers in more places than ever
When most people think about search, they think about Google. That makes sense. For decades, Google was the primary way people found information online. If you wanted to learn something, compare options, find a local business, or get an answer to a question, you opened a browser and typed it into a search bar. That behavior hasn't disappeared, what has changed is where it happens.
Today, people ask ChatGPT for recommendations, search Instagram for local businesses, watch YouTube tutorials before making a purchase, and use industry directories to find service providers. The platforms have changed, but the goal remains the same: people are looking for answers. For small business owners, this shift matters because visibility is no longer limited to a single platform.
How we used to think about search
For a long time, search and Google were almost synonymous. If you wanted to find a local business, compare products, learn a new skill, or answer a question, you opened Google and typed in what you were looking for. For most businesses, online visibility was largely measured by one thing: where they appeared in Google's search results.
This shaped the way many of us thought about SEO. The goal was straightforward: rank higher, get more traffic, and attract more customers. While there were always other ways people discovered businesses online, Google was often treated as the starting point for nearly every customer journey. In many ways, that thinking still influences how small business owners approach marketing today. When someone says they want to "improve their SEO," what they often mean is, "I want to rank higher on Google."
To be fair, Google is still incredibly important. If you take anything from this article, let it be this: Google is no longer the only search engine that matters.
How people search today
The way people search for information has become far more contextual. If you're looking for a restaurant recommendation, you might search Instagram to see photos, videos, and reviews. If you're trying to learn a new skill, you might head straight to YouTube. If you're researching a potential employee, business partner, or speaker, LinkedIn might be your first stop. If you're looking for a quick answer to a question, you might ask ChatGPT instead of opening Google.
The important thing to understand is that people don't use every platform the same way. Someone experiencing a mental health crisis isn't likely to open LinkedIn and search for a therapist. They're more likely to start with Google, Psychology Today, ChatGPT, or a recommendation from someone they trust. Meanwhile, a consultant or speaker may generate significant business through LinkedIn because that's where their audience already spends time.
This is why strategy matters so much. Before deciding where to invest your marketing efforts, ask a simple question: where are your customers already looking for answers? The answer may be Google. It may be Instagram. It may be an industry directory, YouTube channel, podcast, or AI chatbot. What matters is understanding how your audience searches before deciding where your business needs to show up.
This shift is one reason I've become increasingly interested in omnipresence SEO, the idea that visibility is built across multiple touchpoints rather than a single channel.
What all these platforms have in common
At first glance, Google, ChatGPT, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, and industry directories seem completely different. They have different audiences, different interfaces, and different ways of presenting information. Yet they all share a critical similarity: they are trying to help people find what they're looking for.
Google does this through search results. ChatGPT does it through generated responses. Instagram recommends content through feeds, hashtags, and search results. LinkedIn surfaces people, companies, and expertise. YouTube recommends videos based on search intent and user behavior.
The delivery method may differ, but the goal is the same. Every platform with a search bar has a search algorithm, and every search algorithm must answer the same fundamental question: what content, business, person, or resource is most relevant to this user right now?
That is why the fundamentals of SEO remain so important, even as new platforms emerge. Clear messaging, helpful content, strong positioning, and a well-structured website make it easier for both people and algorithms to understand what you do and who you serve. Businesses that consistently communicate their value tend to perform better across platforms because they make it easier for both humans and technology to connect the dots.
The platform may change, but the underlying challenge remains remarkably similar: helping the right people find you when they're looking for what you offer.
What this means for small business marketing
Recognizing that people search differently than they did ten years ago is just the first step. It's another to understand what that means for your business.
The reality is that potential customers rarely follow a straight line from discovery to purchase. They might hear about you from a friend, find your Instagram profile, visit your website, read your reviews, ask ChatGPT a question, and only then decide to get in touch.
This shift has changed the way I think about online visibility. Instead of focusing on a single platform, I encourage business owners to think about discoverability as a whole. The goal isn't to be everywhere, but to make it easy for the right people to find you, learn about you, and trust you wherever they choose to look.
This idea is closely connected to omnipresence SEO: creating multiple opportunities for potential customers to discover your business across the platforms and channels they already use.
Your audience isn't searching in one place anymore
One of the biggest shifts in digital marketing is that people no longer follow a single path when looking for information, services, or recommendations. Consider someone looking for a therapist: they might start with Google, browse Psychology Today, ask ChatGPT for recommendations, or search Reddit for personal experiences.
Similarly, someone searching for a dog sitter may begin on Google Maps, ask friends on Instagram, or browse a local directory. A business owner looking for a coach might discover them through LinkedIn, a podcast appearance, a YouTube video, or a referral. Different people start their journey in different places.
This is why the conversation around SEO versus social media is often framed incorrectly. Rather than treating them as competing strategies, it's more useful to think about how they support different stages of discovery. Some platforms help people find you for the first time, while others help build trust and credibility. Together, they influence whether someone ultimately decides to work with you.
Online visibility is becoming more distributed
For a long time, online visibility was largely a Google conversation. If someone searched for a service you offered, the goal was simple: appear near the top of the search results. Today, visibility is far more distributed.
A potential client might discover your business through an Instagram post, hear you on a podcast, find your website through Google, ask ChatGPT a question, read your LinkedIn profile, and only then decide to reach out. In many cases, no single platform gets all the credit for the conversion.
As a result, the question is no longer simply, "How do I rank on Google?" A more useful question is: "How do I become discoverable where my audience already spends time?" For some businesses, that may still be Google. For others, it might be YouTube, LinkedIn, industry directories, newsletters, podcasts, or local communities. The answer depends less on the platform itself and more on the habits of the people you're trying to reach.
Businesses that adapt to this shift tend to focus less on chasing algorithms and more on creating multiple opportunities to be found. When people encounter your business in several relevant places, trust begins to build long before they ever fill out a contact form.
Clients discover your business before you land the sale
Most people do not discover a business and immediately book, buy, or inquire. They notice you first and then check you out. A potential client might discover you through an Instagram post, search your name on Google, read your website, scan your LinkedIn profile, look at your reviews, and come back days or weeks later to book a call. By the time they contact you, they may have already interacted with your business several times across different platforms.
That is why modern customer journeys are rarely linear. Discovery, research, trust, and conversion often happen across multiple touchpoints. For small businesses, this means your online presence needs to support the way people actually make decisions. It is not enough to show up once and hope that one interaction does all the work. Your audience needs enough clear, consistent information to understand who you are, what you offer, and whether they trust you enough to take the next step.
The good news: SEO principles still apply
You might be wondering whether all of this means you need a completely new marketing strategy. The good news is that while the platforms have changed, many underlying principles have not. People still want relevant information, answers to their questions, and businesses they trust. Whether someone finds you through Google, ChatGPT, LinkedIn, Instagram, or a niche industry directory, the same fundamentals help them understand what you do and why they should choose you.
Businesses that perform well across platforms are not necessarily chasing every new trend. More often, they have clear messaging, strong positioning, useful content, and a solid foundation that makes it easy for both people and algorithms to understand who they serve.
Good SEO is really good communication
When people talk about SEO, they often focus on keywords, rankings, algorithms, and technical optimizations. While those things matter, they can distract from a simpler truth: good SEO is really good communication. Your content and messaging need to answer critical questions for visitors. Can people quickly understand what you do? Can they tell who you help? Can they find the information they are looking for? Can they understand what action to take next?
Whether someone lands on your website through Google, discovers you through ChatGPT, finds your profile on LinkedIn, or comes across your business on Instagram, these questions remain the same. Businesses that perform well online communicate clearly. They have straightforward messaging, a logical structure, a clear point of view, and offers that are easy to understand. Algorithms may evolve over time, but clarity rarely goes out of style.
AI didn't replace fundamentals
The rise of AI has changed the way many businesses approach content creation. Today, anyone can generate blog posts, social media captions, website copy, and marketing ideas in seconds. What AI has not done is replace the fundamentals of good marketing.
AI can generate content, but it cannot determine your business strategy. It cannot decide who your ideal clients are, what makes your services different, or which platforms deserve your attention. It cannot replace the expertise you've developed through years of experience working with real clients and solving real problems. Most importantly, AI cannot truly understand your audience the way you can.
Businesses seeing the best results from AI are rarely the ones using it to replace their marketing entirely. They're using it to support an existing strategy, streamline repetitive tasks, and accelerate execution. Whether someone discovers your business through Google, ChatGPT, LinkedIn, or Instagram, the same principles still apply: you need a clear message, a clear offer, and a clear understanding of the people you want to reach. AI may change how content is created, but it does not change the importance of knowing what you're trying to say.
Why Google still matters
Every few years, a new technology arrives, and someone declares that SEO is dead. The latest conversation centers around AI. If people are asking ChatGPT instead of Google, does search engine optimization still matter? I say yes, it does. The platform may be changing, but the underlying challenge remains the same: helping people find relevant, trustworthy information.
What often gets overlooked is that Google has been using machine learning and artificial intelligence in its search systems for years. While tools and interfaces continue to evolve, the core challenge remains unchanged: helping people find the most relevant information for their needs. The fundamentals that have influenced search visibility for years still matter today. Relevance matters. Authority matters. User experience matters. Businesses that clearly communicate what they do and provide useful information are still more likely to be discovered than businesses with confusing messaging and poorly structured websites.
This is one reason I continue to push back against common SEO myths. New technologies change the way information is delivered, but they rarely eliminate the need for clear communication, credibility, and a strong online presence. Google may no longer be the only place people search for answers, but it remains one of the most important places to be found.
A therapist in Brooklyn: A real-world example
Let's make this more concrete. Imagine you're a therapist in Brooklyn trying to attract new clients. Like many service-based business owners, you're focused on helping people, managing your practice, and showing up for your clients. Marketing is simply one part of running the business.
Now imagine a potential client is looking for the services you offer. Where do they begin? The answer depends on the person. Some will start with Google. Others may browse Psychology Today, ask ChatGPT for recommendations, search Reddit for personal experiences, or rely on referrals from friends and colleagues. Each path looks slightly different, but they all have one thing in common: people are trying to find someone they trust.
Where someone might discover that therapist
Twenty years ago, a potential client might have found a therapist through a referral or a Google search. Today, there are far more entry points. One person might search Google for "LGBTQ therapist Brooklyn." Another might ask ChatGPT for recommendations. Someone else may browse Psychology Today or Manhattan Alternative to compare providers. A younger client might discover the therapist through Instagram content, while another might come across an interview or educational video on YouTube.
None of these journeys are inherently right or wrong. They simply reflect different ways people look for information. This is why online discoverability matters. Future clients are not all starting from the same place. Some will find you through search engines, others through directories, social media, AI tools, referrals, podcasts, newsletters, or online communities. The more touchpoints that accurately represent your business, the easier it becomes for the right people to find you.
A therapist investing in local SEO for mental health professionals may improve their visibility on Google, but that's only one part of how potential clients discover services today. The challenge is not figuring out how to dominate every platform. The challenge is understanding which platforms matter most to your audience and making sure you show up there consistently.
Why your website is still your home base
As search behavior becomes more fragmented, it can be tempting to focus all your energy on the newest platform. The problem is that platforms change. Algorithms shift, features disappear, reach fluctuates, and entire platforms can rise or fall in popularity. As a business owner, you have very little control over those changes.
Your website, however, is different. It is the one place online that you actually own. You control the messaging, user experience, services you highlight, and the information your visitors see. While social media profiles, directories, and AI search tools can help people discover your business, your website is often where they go to learn more and decide whether to contact you.
Think about the therapist in Brooklyn. A potential client may first discover them through Psychology Today, a Google search, a referral, or even ChatGPT. Before booking an appointment, however, many people will still want to visit their website. They'll want to learn about their approach, their specialties, their values, and whether they feel like the right fit.
That's why I encourage business owners to think of their website as their digital home base. Every other platform can support discovery, but your website is where you bring everything together.
What happens when your digital home base has a weak foundation
Discoverability can only take you so far. Even if someone finds your business through Google, ChatGPT, Instagram, LinkedIn, or an industry directory, they will often visit your website before deciding to contact you. If the experience is confusing, incomplete, or outdated, the trust you’ve worked hard to build can disappear quickly.
This is common among service-based businesses. They invest time creating content, networking, showing up on social media, and building visibility, but their website isn’t prepared to support those efforts. Sometimes the issue is structural, visitors can’t easily find the information they’re looking for. Sometimes the service pages are too vague, making it difficult to understand what the business actually offers. Other times, local SEO has been neglected, making it harder for nearby clients to discover the business. Sometimes there simply isn’t enough content to answer the questions potential customers already have.
These problems are not always obvious, which is why a small business SEO audit can be invaluable. It helps identify the gaps between being discovered and actually converting visitors into clients. The platforms where people discover you may continue to evolve, but your foundation still matters. The stronger your website, the more likely it is to support every other marketing effort you make.
The biggest mistakes small business owners make
Once business owners understand that people discover businesses in different ways, they often fall into one of two traps. The first is assuming they don't need SEO at all because their business runs on referrals, word of mouth, or repeat customers. Visibility then feels like something they can worry about later.
The second mistake is believing SEO is a quick fix: change a few keywords, update alt text, publish a handful of AI-generated blog posts, and expect leads to start rolling in. In reality, neither approach reflects how discoverability actually works. SEO is not a magic solution, nor can it be ignored indefinitely. Like most forms of marketing, it works best when approached strategically, consistently, and with realistic expectations about the time required to build momentum. Businesses that see the strongest results understand SEO for what it truly is: an investment in long-term visibility.
Some people ignore SEO entirely
A common objection is, "I don't need SEO. My clients come from referrals." While referrals are valuable, they do not eliminate the need for discoverability. When someone is referred to your business, they rarely contact you immediately. More often, they Google your name, visit your website, read your reviews, check social media profiles, and look for signals that confirm you are the right fit. Even referrals often lead back to search.
Others think SEO is a quick fix
On the opposite end, some business owners expect SEO to deliver immediate results. They install a plugin, update a few keywords, change some alt text, publish a handful of AI-generated blog posts, and wonder why nothing changes a month later. SEO is rarely one thing. It encompasses website structure, messaging, service pages, local presence, content, authority, and user experience. Increasingly, it includes how consistently those signals appear across the platforms where people discover your business. There is no magic setting that suddenly moves a website to the top of search results.
You do not need to be everywhere
By now, you may feel overwhelmed. If people are searching on Google, ChatGPT, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, TikTok, directories, and countless other platforms, does that mean your business needs to be active everywhere? The answer is no.
One of the most common mistakes business owners make is assuming that every new platform demands immediate attention. In reality, trying to maintain a presence everywhere often leads to burnout, inconsistent marketing, and mediocre results. You do not need to master LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, YouTube, Threads, ChatGPT, and Google all at once. Most small businesses simply do not have the time, budget, or resources to do that effectively.
Instead, focus on the platforms that are most relevant to your audience and goals. A local therapist may benefit more from Google, local directories, and a strong website than from spending hours creating TikTok videos. A consultant may find that LinkedIn drives more meaningful conversations than Instagram ever could. The goal is not to be everywhere, the goal is to be visible in the places that matter most.
Start with strategy
Before creating more content or signing up for another platform, ask yourself a few key questions. Where does my audience already search for information? How do my current clients typically find me? What marketing efforts have worked well in the past? Importantly, what feels sustainable for me and my business?
That last question is often overlooked. A marketing strategy that generates results but leaves you exhausted is rarely sustainable in the long term. The best strategy is the one you can realistically maintain.
Commit before you judge results
Once you've chosen a direction, give it time. Set a realistic timeline. Measure outcomes. Reassess and adjust. Avoid trying a platform for two weeks, deciding it isn't working, and immediately moving on to the next thing. Marketing rarely works that quickly. Consistency provides data. Data provides insight. Insight allows you to make better decisions. Without enough time and information, you are often reacting to assumptions rather than results.
Discoverability is the new competitive advantage
The businesses that succeed online are not always the loudest, the biggest, or the most active. More often, they are the businesses that are easiest to find and easiest to understand. They show up when people are looking for answers. They communicate clearly, have a strong foundation, and make it easy for potential customers to understand what they do and how they can help.
In a world where people discover businesses through search engines, AI tools, social media platforms, directories, podcasts, newsletters, and referrals, discoverability has become a competitive advantage in its own right. The future of SEO is not about chasing every new platform that enters the market. It is about understanding how people discover information and ensuring your business can be found when they are looking.
Whether that journey begins on Google, ChatGPT, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, or an industry-specific directory, the underlying goal remains the same: helping the right people find the right information at the right time. Businesses that embrace this mindset will be better positioned to adapt as technology continues to evolve. The platforms may change, but the need to be found will not.
Read more from Rocio Sanchez
Rocio Sanchez, SEO-First Brand Strategist
Rocio Sanchez is a brand strategist and digital marketer who specializes in helping LGBT-affirming businesses take up space. With a marketing degree from the Fashion Institute of Technology, they started Marketing by Rocio to help small business owners who often feel left behind and under-resourced. Rocio grew up between New York City and the Dominican Republic, and is now based in Europe, where they've lived for almost ten years between Amsterdam and Paris. They speak three languages (English, Spanish, and French) and deeply understand the lived experience of queer folks in these cultures, giving Rocio a unique outlook on running a queer-led business.
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