The Future of Search is More Visual Than You Think

Search Is No Longer Just Google

SearchPulse highlights a big shift: People aren’t just using search engines anymore. This shift is highly stratified by age, with people aged 18 to 44 using an average of five different search platforms regularly, while those aged 45 and older tend to stick to just two or three. They’re discovering brands on:

TikTok dominates the 18 to 24 age group, acting as their primary platform across every stage of the purchase journey (inspiration, consideration, and booking)

YouTube has broad appeal but plays specific roles across generations. For the 35 to 44 age segment, it is highly recommended as a secondary channel for multimedia inspiration. 

For older audiences, particularly the 55+ segment, YouTube is the preferred social media platform for learning new skills. Additionally, YouTube (alongside Google and Facebook) is considered a core search investment for the 45+ age group

Instagram is a vital multimedia search tool for the 25 to 34 age segment. Just as the 25–34 group uses TikTok purely for inspiration, the 35 to 44 age segment uses Instagram almost exclusively for finding inspiration before moving to other platforms to book or purchase

AI-generated answers. Regular AI usage peaks within the 25 to 34 age bracket and trends downward as users get older. The 25 to 44 age group has embraced AI as a savvy shopping assistant; over half of this group is willing to use AI for practical, cost-saving shopping tasks like finding discounts, comparing prices, and sourcing deals.

Search has become something people experience, not just something they type. Instead of Googling, users now:

Watch videos

49% of respondents state they use YouTube as a regular search destination, making it the second most popular search engine overall. Video search is highly intent-driven: 2 out of 5 people use YouTube specifically to learn a new skill or process. When users turn to social media to learn a new skill, it is driven almost exclusively by video, with 55% choosing YouTube.

Scroll short clips

Instagram and TikTok capture 20% of search intent when users are actively looking for inspiration. Short-form video is increasingly being used for complex, personal searches; for example, 14% of 18 to 24-year-olds turn to TikTok for mental health advice. When users turn to social media to learn a skill, 12% use TikTok, making it the second most popular learning platform behind YouTube

Explore content visually

When looking for general inspiration, 47% of respondents now turn to social media rather than traditional text-based search engines. In the travel sector, visual exploration is nearly universal, with 96% of respondents reporting that they use at least one social media platform when looking for trip inspiration. 30% of people state they use Instagram to search regularly, utilising the platform to visually "taste-tune" and discover content that matches their personal aesthetics

Why Visual Content Works Better

There’s a simple reason for this shift: visual content is easier to consume. From a behavioural science perspective, people:

Process visuals faster than text

Visual content aligns perfectly with what psychologist Daniel Kahneman calls "System 1" thinking. This is our fast, intuitive, and automatic way of making decisions, as opposed to the slower, rational "System 2". Visual platforms like TikTok and Instagram serve this fast-thinking mode by providing "quick dopamine hits" and acting as mental shortcuts for users. Instead of deliberating over text, users can rapidly "taste-tune" by consuming imagery that immediately matches their personal aesthetics and aspirational identity.

Remember more from video

Video is highly effective for retention because it simplifies complexity and removes barriers to understanding. It offers step-by-step, credible guidance in a format that is incredibly easy to consume. This is why video dominates educational and "how-to" searches.

Trust what they can see

In an era of rising AI-generated content, "seeing is believing" has never been more important for building brand credibility. Users are increasingly skeptical of text-based AI summaries (worrying about "hallucinations” or biases), and are instead seeking out raw, authentic human voices and real-world experiences. Visual proof is the ultimate antidote to AI distrust.

When asked what makes multimedia content trustworthy or engaging, 36% of people said "it shows real results or experiences". Additionally, 35% said it is from a verified or trusted creator, 33% cited that it is visually clear or easy to follow, and 29% said it feels authentic or personal. Conversely, when a visual platform loses its authenticity, it loses its users. For example, Pinterest, historically a massive visual search engine, is seeing its regular use decline. This is largely because the platform is becoming saturated with inauthentic, AI-generated imagery, breaking the trust of users looking for genuine inspiration.

Video removes effort. And when something feels easy, people engage with it more.

Google Is Already Prioritising Visuals

This isn’t a future trend, it’s already happening. Search results now include:

Video results and Short-Form Clips

Google is actively adapting to the demand for visual content by embedding multimedia directly within its search experience. The search engine is increasingly taking the approach of featuring short videos, including YouTube and Instagram clips, directly in the search results. To facilitate this shift, Instagram recently began allowing Google to index posts that were previously restricted. This has prompted other channels to realise the growing necessity of making their visual content discoverable on Google to captureb users earlier in the purchase funnel.

Image sections

Through the introduction of AI overviews and AI mode, Google is synthesizing data from multiple sources, such as user reviews and Reddit commentary, and presenting it in highly visual formats. For example, the search engine is now aggregating images from various sources and compiling them into convenient, easy-to-view tables and widgets directly in the search results. This creates a "zero-click" environment where users can visually explore content without needing to leave the search page.

At the same time, AI is answering text-based questions instantly. That means written content alone isn’t enough to stand out anymore.

Welcome to Searching Everywhere

SearchPulse calls this the rise of searching everywhere. Your audience might find you through a TikTok video, a YouTube tutorial, a LinkedIn post, or a podcast clip. These are all search moments, even without a search bar.

What Brands Need to Do

If search is becoming more visual, your strategy needs to follow. Aim to focus on:

Showing, not telling

Is essential because users increasingly demand to see real-world applications and authentic experiences to build trust. When interacting with multimedia platforms, 36% of users state that content showing real results or experiences is what makes it feel trustworthy and engaging. Furthermore, 33% of people say that content being "visually clear or easy to follow" is a primary factor for establishing trust. To adapt, brands should leverage short-form videos to educate their audiences, utilising formats like "day-in-the-life" videos or honest reviews that offer visual, relatable, and experiential proof rather than just written claims.

Creating content for platforms (not just your website)

Is critical because the modern search journey is highly fragmented across a multi-platform ecosystem. People aged 18 to 44 now use an average of five different search platforms for their everyday searches. Social media and video platforms currently hold positions two through seven in overall search popularity, with 49% of respondents using YouTube and 30% using Instagram regularly. In the travel sector specifically, a staggering 96% of respondents report using at least one social media platform when looking for trip inspiration. To stay relevant, brands must optimise for these specific platforms; for instance, TikTok acts as a self-contained search, validation, and booking ecosystem for the 18 to 24 age demographic. Brands should also create content for community spaces like Reddit, which has been the fastest-growing UK social platform since 2024 and is the most cited source by AI language models.

Turning ideas into engaging formats

Means translating text-heavy concepts into highly visual, easy-to-consume multimedia tailored to user intent. For educational intent, video is paramount; 2 out of 5 people use YouTube specifically to learn a new skill or process. When users turn to social media to learn, the behaviour is driven almost exclusively by video formats, with 55% choosing YouTube and 12% choosing TikTok. Brands should simplify complex ideas using engaging visual formats like how-to videos, explainer videos, and live webinars. Additionally, written ideas should be structured into engaging, scannable formats like FAQs, comparison tables, and TL;DR summaries, because AI models specifically favour extracting these snippets to serve to users. Embedding original statistics and research into these formats is also highly effective, as it can generate 30-40% higher visibility in AI-generated responses.

The best-performing brands are telling stories, using video to do this, and creating content people actuall want to watch.

The Opportunity

Most brands are still catching up. That means there’s a real opportunity to:

Stand out

We are currently in the "early adopters phase" of the new multi-platform search curve. Because many businesses still rely purely on traditional search methods out of habit, there is a massive opportunity to get ahead of competitors who are slow to adapt.

Mainstream AI adoption has officially crossed the threshold, with 52% of users now utilising AI search tools at least sometimes. However, AI platforms are flooded with generic, "cookie-cutter" content. You can stand out by demonstrating real human expertise and original data; in fact, content featuring original statistics and research can see 30-40% higher visibility in AI (LLM) responses.

Own visual space

Visual media has become the absolute core of upper-funnel inspiration and learning. If your brand lacks a video presence on platforms like YouTube and Instagram, you likely aren't even entering the customer's consideration set. Visual platforms dominate travel and lifestyle planning, with 96% of respondents using at least one social media platform when looking for trip inspiration. Visual clarity is also a direct driver of credibility; 33% of users state that content being "visually clear or easy to follow" is what makes it feel trustworthy and engaging.

Connect with audiences faster

The modern search journey is fractured, but this fragmentation offers a way to build relationships at lightning speed. Users are shifting toward AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini specifically because they deliver search results faster and offer a more personalised, conversational experience. People aged 18 to 44 now use an average of five different search platforms regularly. By maintaining a presence across these multiple touchpoints, brands benefit from the "mere exposure effect", a behavioral science principle dictating that the more users see your brand online across different platforms, the faster they develop a preference and trust for it. Brands can also connect instantly by entering pre-established community spaces rather than waiting for users to find their website. For example, Reddit has been the fastest-growing UK social media platform since 2024, and niche TikTok communities like #BookTok actively command over 20.5 billion views.
 

Key Takeaways

• Search is shifting from text-based results to visual, interactive experiences

• People now discover brands across platforms like social media and video, not just search engines

• Visual content is more effective because it’s faster to process, easier to remember, and builds trust

• Video is no longer optional — it’s a core part of how brands are found and evaluated

• Brands that adopt a visual-first approach now have a clear advantage in standing out

Search is evolving fast, and visual content is quickly becoming a key part of how brands are discovered and trusted. If you’re looking to stay ahead, it’s time to think beyond traditional content and start building a visual-first strategy. Get in touch with Reflect Digital to start building your visual search strategy today.