Social Commerce vs Search Engines: Where Your Customers Really Discover Brands in 2026

The way customers find your business has changed dramatically. Ten years ago, if someone needed a service or product, they'd open Google and type in what they wanted. Today? They might discover you through an Instagram reel, a TikTok video, or even buy directly from a Facebook shop. But here's the thing - search engines haven't gone away. They've just got some serious competition.

At Greyhive, our Leicestershire-based digital marketing team works with clients nationwide and in multiple sectors. We've noticed something interesting: the businesses winning in 2026 aren't choosing between social media marketing and search engines. They're mastering both. Let's explain what this means for your industry and how you can get the balance right.

The Shift Nobody Saw Coming

What's happening in the market right now is fascinating. People are discovering brands in entirely new ways, but they're also sticking to their old habits. While many consumers still turn to search engines for brand research, just as many are finding new products through social media.

For businesses across the East Midlands and beyond, your digital marketing strategy needs two strong legs. Think of it as having a shop window on the high street (your SEO and search presence) and a friendly face at the local networking event (your social commerce approach).

What This Means for Industrial Companies

Let's say you run a property development company. Your potential clients aren't impulse buyers, but researchers. They still rely heavily on search engines when they need a commercial property developer or construction partner. They'll type "property developers in Leicester" or "commercial construction East Midlands" into Google.

But here's where it gets interesting. These same decision-makers are on LinkedIn during their commute. They see posts about successful projects, read articles about sustainable building practices, and watch video tours of completed developments. When they eventually need a developer, guess whose name comes to mind? The company they've been seeing on their LinkedIn feed for months.

For industrial companies, the winning formula is maintaining strong SEO for those high-intent searches while building authority and trust through LinkedIn content. It's paid marketing for immediate visibility combined with free marketing through consistent, valuable content that positions you as the industry expert.

The Hospitality Sector's Social Revolution

Hotels and restaurants have a completely different story. If you're in hospitality, social commerce isn't just an option, but essential. Why? Because people eat with their eyes first, and nothing sells a dining experience or hotel stay like stunning visuals on Instagram or TikTok.

A restaurant might be discovered when someone searches for the "best Italian restaurant near me" on Google. But increasingly, that same restaurant is being discovered when someone scrolls past a video of pasta being made fresh or sees their friend's Instagram story from a fantastic meal there last week.

Hotels are seeing similar patterns. While search engines still matter for "hotels in Leicestershire" searches, real discovery happens when influencers share their stay experiences or when user-generated content shows real guests having amazing experiences. The smart hotels aren't just accepting bookings through their website anymore; they're making rooms bookable directly through Instagram and Facebook shops.

Retail's Complete Transformation

Retail might be experiencing the most significant shift of all. The traditional customer journey of search, click, buy is being replaced by see, like, buy, and all without leaving social media. But search engines haven't disappeared; they've just changed their role in the purchase journey.

Consider how people shop for clothes now. They might see an outfit on TikTok, check reviews on Google, compare prices across shopping platforms, and ultimately buy through Instagram checkout. Or they might search for "sustainable fashion brands" on Google, visit a website, then follow the brand on social media before purchasing weeks later through a limited-time social media offer.

For retail businesses, your digital marketing needs to be everywhere your customers are. That's comprehensive SEO to capture those searching with intent, paid media on social platforms to catch browsers, and social commerce capabilities to convert interest into sales instantly.

Finding Your Balance

So, how do you effectively balance social commerce and search engines? It starts with understanding where your customers are in their buying journey. Search engines typically capture people who know what they want. They're problem-aware and solution-seeking. Social media, on the other hand, creates demand. It makes people want things they didn't know they needed.

This is where Greyhive's approach comes in. We help clients create integrated strategies. We don't see it as free marketing, paid marketing, or social versus search. We see it as creating multiple touchpoints that work together.

Your SEO ensures you're found when people are actively looking. Your social media marketing creates brand awareness and desire before people know they need you. Your paid media on both channels accelerates visibility and results. And increasingly, your social commerce capabilities mean you can convert interest into sales wherever your customers are.

Making It Work in Practice

The reality is that your customers are complex. They don't follow a neat, predictable path from awareness to purchase. A customer might see your product on social media today, forget about it, search for something similar next month and find you again. Or they might search for a solution to their problem, find your website, then follow you on social media to learn more before buying.

This is why businesses working with Greyhive see results across multiple channels. We understand that a property developer must rank for those crucial search terms while building relationships on LinkedIn. We know that restaurants need gorgeous Instagram content alongside strong local SEO. We recognise that retail brands need to be discoverable everywhere, ready to convert browsers into buyers at any moment.

The Bottom Line

The debate about social commerce versus search engines misses the point. Your customers aren't choosing one or the other; they often use both in the same purchase journey. The businesses winning in 2026 are those creating seamless experiences across all channels.

Whether you're a property developer in Leicestershire, a restaurant in Midlands, or a retail brand with nationwide ambitions, your digital marketing strategy must embrace both search and social media. Your next customer might discover you anywhere, and you need to be ready when they do.

The question isn't whether to invest in social media marketing or search engines. It's how to make them work together. That's where the magic happens, and that's what separates the businesses that thrive from those that just survive in today's digital landscape.

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