Beyond Google: Winning SEO Across AI, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok

Key Takeaways

People no longer search only on Google, they spend time on platforms like ChatGPT, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok to research, compare, and buy.
Omnichannel SEO means adapting your strategy to show up across all these environments, not just traditional search engines.
Each platform has its own “rules”: conversational mentions for ChatGPT/Perplexity, Reels and captions for Instagram, metadata and engagement for YouTube, and creator-driven content for TikTok.
A winning strategy isn’t about choosing one platform, it’s about being consistently visible across all, while adapting your content to match user intent.

Why omnichannel SEO is the only way to stay visible and trusted

As marketers and business owners, our success depends on being where people are already spending their time. For years, digital marketing meant SEO and ads to be visible in Google. But today, the landscape has changed. People now discover brands and products not just on Google, but through AI tools like ChatGPT, Instagram Reels, YouTube tutorials, and TikTok videos.

Each of these platforms shapes behavior differently. Users may go to ChatGPT for comparisons, Instagram for inspiration, YouTube for tutorials, or TikTok for impulse shopping. Their intent, and purchase path, shifts with each platform.

I’ve always been an advocate for omnichannel SEO: not putting all your energy into optimizing for one channel, but making sure your brand shows up everywhere that matters. That’s the only way to stay visible, trusted, and competitive in 2026 and beyond.

Here’s how you can adapt your content strategy across platforms where your audience spends their time.

How to optimize content for ChatGPT, AI Mode & Perplexity

With over 2.5 billion prompts each day, ChatGPT is no longer just a productivity tool, it’s one of the fastest-growing search engines in the world. People use it for product comparisons, research, conversational answers, and decision-making.

Large Language Models (LLMs) generate responses based on training data from billions of sources: websites, books, Wikipedia, Reddit, and more. To be visible in AI answers, your brand must build authority, trust, and reputation.

SEO AI Content Optimization Tactics

Prompt research: Study prompts in your niche and analyze which sources get cited.
Digital PR for mentions: Earn placements in authoritative publications, niche blogs, and forums like Reddit or Quora. Research shows that brand mentions, even without links, strongly influence AI results (Ahrefs).
Structured content: Create Q&A pages, listicles, and well-formatted answers to customer questions, easy for AI to parse.
Reputation building: Encourage reviews on platforms frequently cited by AI, such as Trustpilot, Yelp, G2, and Sitejabber. These signals increasingly shape recommendations.

How to Optimize content for Instagram

130 million users tap on product tags every month (CropInK).
54% of users purchase a product after seeing it on Instagram.

Instagram has evolved into a powerful discovery and shopping channel. And since July 2025, Google has begun indexing Instagram Reels and public posts, officially making it part of the SEO ecosystem.

From my own perspective, Instagram feels like organic ad space. I’ve seen Reels indexed in Google within days, driving both impressions and organic clicks. Captions, hashtags, and even file names are no longer just “social optimizations” they’re now part of SEO.

SEO Strategy Example for Instagram

Optimize media naming: Use descriptive filenames (e.g., vegan-dessert-with-matcha.mp4) to provide SEO signals.
Keyword-rich captions: Write natural descriptions that reflect search intent. Instead of “Weekend vibes 🍷,” say “Cozy wine bar in New York for autumn nights.”
Reels first: Reels outperform static posts and are prioritized by both Instagram and Google. Use trending audio but add on-screen text with keywords.
Meaningful hashtags: Mix trending and intent-driven hashtags (#veganrecipes, #londonfoodie).
Cross-channel integration: Embed Instagram posts into blogs and landing pages to connect social and search visibility.

How to Optimize for YouTube

3 out of 4 adults watch YouTube at home (Think with Google).
Over 100 hours of video are uploaded every minute.
YouTube is the second-largest search engine, after Google.

YouTube is where people go to learn, be entertained, and make purchase decisions. For brands, it’s one of the most powerful channels for building awareness and trust. In my experience, YouTube content often becomes evergreen traffic, videos optimized for the right intent can rank and perform for years.

SEO Content Strategy Example for YouTube

Keyword research: Focus on how-to queries, product comparisons, and reviews that match YouTube search intent.
Competitive analysis: Study top-ranking videos, their length, style, thumbnails, and engagement.
Optimize metadata: Titles, descriptions, tags, and captions should include target keywords. I always script videos with search intent in mind, so every spoken word reinforces SEO.
Boost engagement: Encourage likes, comments, and subscriptions. I’ve seen firsthand how videos with strong comment activity gain higher visibility.

How to Optimize for TikTok

TikTok has grown into a social shopping powerhouse, blending entertainment and e-commerce.

46% of TikTok shoppers buy personal accessories.
43% buy household items.
40% buy fashion products (PartnerCentric).

Its algorithm, combined with TikTok Shop, makes it one of the fastest ways to turn discovery into purchase. More importantly, users increasingly use TikTok’s search bar to look for tutorials, product reviews, and “best of” lists, making SEO critical here too.

SEO Strategy Example for TikTok

Hashtag & keyword optimization: Use keywords in captions and say them aloud in videos, TikTok’s AI processes both text and speech.
Micro-influencers: Partner with smaller creators for higher trust and conversions.
Edutainment content: Blend education and entertainment, e.g., “3 skincare tips in 30 seconds”.

Conclusion

Content in 2026 is no longer about optimizing for Google alone. Your audience spends time across AI assistants, social platforms, and video ecosystems, and they expect to find credible, intent-driven content wherever they are.

That’s why I advocate for omnichannel SEO. A strong presence across ChatGPT, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok ensures your brand is discoverable wherever people look, learn, and buy.

The brands that win in this new era are those that understand: visibility drives discovery, but aligning content with intent across multiple platforms drives trust and conversions.