The Future of Search Advertising in 2024: A Shifting Landscape

Search advertising has been a cornerstone of digital marketing for over two decades, with Google dominating the landscape and setting the standards for how businesses connect with consumers online.

However, as we approach 2025, the search advertising ecosystem is undergoing a seismic shift, driven by major developments that are set to transform the industry, such as Google’s innovative Search Generative Experience, the rise of TikTok as a primary search engine for Gen Z, and the increasing usage of platforms like Reddit and Quora for answers. 

Let’s take a look at these and other key trends and developments that are poised to define the future of search advertising in 2024 and beyond.

1. Let’s Start with Google 

Google remains a dominant force in search and its innovations continue to shape the entire search advertising landscape. The most significant development in recent times is the introduction of the Search Generative Experience (SGE):

Launched in 2023, SGE represents a paradigm shift in how Google presents search results. Instead of the traditional list of blue links, SGE uses AI to generate a conversational, summary-style response to user queries:

This AI-powered snapshot aims to provide users with immediate, comprehensive answers without the need to click through to multiple websites.

Key features of SGE include:

1. AI-generated summaries at the top of search results
2. Interactive follow-up questions to refine searches
3. Integration of images, videos, and other media into the AI-generated responses

SGE is undoubtedly the most transformative recent change by Google, but the search giant has introduced several other significant updates that are reshaping the search landscape: 

• Dropping continuous scroll: Google added continuous scroll to mobile search in October 2021 and on desktop search in December 2022. It announced in June 2024 that it is dropping continuous scroll. Users will now see the “Next” button at the bottom of the page. For advertisers, this could potentially decrease visibility for websites that appear on Page 2 of search results.
• Multisearch: In 2022, Google introduced multisearch, a feature that allows users to search using both images and text simultaneously, enhancing visual search capabilities. Users can take a photo or upload an image and then add text to refine their search. This development is particularly relevant for e-commerce and local businesses, as it enables users to find products or services based on visual attributes combined with specific text queries:

• Performance Max campaigns: Google has been pushing its AI-driven Performance Max (PMax) campaigns, which allow advertisers to run campaigns across all of Google’s advertising channels from a single campaign. This development streamlines campaign management and leverages Google’s machine learning to optimize ad placements.
• Responsive Search Ads (RSA) as the default: Google has made RSAs the default ad type for search campaigns, phasing out expanded text ads. This shift emphasizes the importance of providing multiple headlines and descriptions to allow Google’s AI to create the most relevant ad combinations for each search query.

These recent developments show that Google is committed to enhancing user experience through AI and machine learning, while also providing advertisers with more sophisticated tools to reach their target audiences. 

What This Means for Advertisers

• Reduced organic visibility: With AI-generated summaries taking up more screen real estate, traditional text ads may receive less prominence as they’re pushed further down the page. This could lead to decreased click-through rates for organic results.
• Need for more targeted, relevant ad content: Ads must closely align with user intent to compete with AI-generated content.
• Opportunity to provide rich, detailed information: Advertisers can focus on creating comprehensive content that SGE can use in its summaries.
• Increased focus on featured snippets and knowledge panels: Since SGE results often pull information from featured snippets, optimizing for these becomes even more crucial. 

How This Impacts Ad Strategies

• Focus on intent-based keywords: With SGE providing direct answers, advertisers need to target more specific, intent-driven keywords that indicate a user is ready to take action. Example: Instead of targeting “best running shoes,” focus on “buy Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 38” or “running shoe stores near me.”
• Leverage multimedia assets: As SGE integrates various media types, advertisers should enhance their ads with relevant images, videos, and other rich media. Example: A real estate agency could include virtual tour videos in their ads for property listings.
• Adapt to new ad formats: As Google introduces new ad types compatible with SGE, advertisers should be quick to test and adopt these formats. Example: If Google introduces AI-enhanced text ads, early adopters could gain a competitive advantage. Check out our guide on the best Google ad sizes to learn more.
• Emphasize structured data: Implementing robust schema markup can help your content be more easily understood and potentially featured in SGE summaries. Example: An e-commerce site could use product schema to enhance the chances of their products appearing in SGE results for relevant queries.
• Invest in brand building: As direct website visits may decrease due to SGE providing immediate answers, building strong brand recognition becomes more important. Example: A supplement company could focus on creating memorable video ads that showcase their unique selling propositions, encouraging users to search directly for their brand.
• Optimize for voice and conversational search: With SGE’s conversational nature, it’s crucial to align ad copy and keywords with natural language patterns. Example: Instead of “cheap flights London,” optimize for “What are the most affordable flights to London next month?”

By adapting to these changes, you can maintain visibility in Google’d search landscape. The key is to stay agile, continuously test new strategies, and focus on providing value that aligns with both user intent and Google’s AI-driven approach to search.

2) TikTok: The New Search Engine for Gen Z

In just a few years, TikTok has grown from a mere entertainment platform to a powerful search engine, especially among younger users. It’s reshaping how Gen Z discovers information, products, and services, presenting both challenges and opportunities for advertisers:

Here are some basic facts about the platform: 

• According to internal data from Google, almost 40% of Gen Z users turn to TikTok or Instagram for search instead of Google when looking for a place to eat.
• TikTok reported that it processes hundreds of millions of searches daily, with search volume growing by over 200% year-over-year in certain markets.
• TikTok boasts higher engagement rates compared to other social media platforms. According to some studies, TikTok’s engagement rate can be up to 5-10 times higher than Instagram, making it potentially more valuable for marketers on a per-user basis.

Gen Z users are drawn to TikTok for search due to its visual nature, authenticity, and user-generated content. They often find the platform more relatable and trustworthy than traditional search engines.

Some categories where TikTok search excels include: 

1. Food and restaurants: Users search for recipe ideas, restaurant recommendations, and food hacks.
2. Fashion and beauty: Trends, product reviews, and styling tips are popular search categories.
3. Travel: Destination guides, hidden gems, and travel hacks are frequently searched.
4. DIY and how-to: Quick tutorials and life hacks attract significant search traffic.
5. Product reviews: Users often search for honest, user-generated reviews before making purchases.

What TikTok Means for Advertisers

1. Content strategy shift: Brands need to create engaging, short-form video content optimized for TikTok’s search algorithm.
2. Authenticity is key: Gen Z values genuine, relatable content over polished advertisements.
3. Influencer partnerships: Collaborating with TikTok creators can amplify brand visibility in search results.
4. Hashtag optimization: Strategic use of hashtags is crucial for discoverability on the platform.
5. Local SEO on TikTok: Businesses should optimize for local searches, especially in the food and retail sectors.

Assuming the proposed TikTok ban in the US doesn’t go through, the platform’s emergence as a search engine for Gen Z users represents a major shift in the search landscape.

Advertisers who can effectively navigate this new terrain, creating authentic, engaging content that aligns with TikTok’s unique search behavior, will be well-positioned to capture the attention and loyalty of younger audiences. 

Need help with search advertising strategies? Single Grain’s SEO experts can help!👇

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3) Bing’s Growing Market Share: The Underdog’s Rise

While Google dominates the search engine landscape, Microsoft’s Bing has been quietly but steadily gaining ground. In 2024, Bing made some surprising gains:

According to Statcounter, Bing’s market share has seen a notable increase over the past year. In April 2024, its market share in the US reached 8.24%, up from 6,43% during the same period in 2023: 

This growth, while still leaving Bing far behind Google, represents a significant shift in the search engine landscape. For advertisers, it means that ignoring Bing is no longer an option if you want to reach a comprehensive audience.

Several key factors have fueled Bing’s recent success:

1. AI integration: Microsoft’s partnership with OpenAI and the integration of ChatGPT-like capabilities into Bing has been a game-changer. This AI-powered search experience has attracted users looking for more interactive and intelligent search results.
2. Edge browser adoption: As Microsoft’s Edge browser has gained popularity, particularly in enterprise environments, it has brought more users to Bing as the default search engine.
3. Strategic partnerships: Microsoft has secured deals to make Bing the default search engine on various platforms and devices, expanding its reach.
4. Privacy features: Bing has positioned itself as a more privacy-focused alternative to Google, appealing to increasingly privacy-conscious users.
5. Improved search algorithm: Continuous improvements to Bing’s search algorithm have enhanced result quality, closing the gap with Google in many areas.

Opportunities for Advertisers on Bing

The growing Bing user base presents several opportunities for advertisers:

1. Less competition: With fewer advertisers on Bing, there’s often less competition for keywords, potentially leading to lower costs per click and higher ad positions.
2. High-value demographics: Bing users often skew older and have higher household incomes compared to the average internet user, making it an attractive platform for certain industries.
3. B2B targeting: Given Bing’s strength in enterprise environments, it’s particularly valuable for B2B advertisers.
4. Cross-platform synergies: Advertisers can leverage Microsoft’s ecosystem, including LinkedIn, for more integrated marketing campaigns.
5. AI-powered advertising: Bing’s AI integration opens up new possibilities for more interactive and engaging ad formats.

Bing is never going to be as popular as Google, but it remains an important part of a comprehensive search advertising strategy. Savvy advertisers are recognizing the value of diversifying their search marketing efforts to include Bing.

By understanding Bing’s unique strengths and user base, you can tap into a growing audience, often at a lower cost and with less competition. Keeping a close eye on Bing’s evolution and adjusting strategies accordingly will be key to staying ahead in search advertising.

4) The Rise of Direct Platform Searches: Reddit and Quora

If you’re a heavy Google search user, then chances are you like to include “reddit” or “quora” at the end of your search queries when you want very specific answers. 

Reddit and Quora are a great source of user-generated content, and users are increasingly bypassing traditional search engines and heading directly to these platforms for specific types of information.

Reddit is the 5th most popular website in the US, with an average of more than 3 billion visitors per month. Quora is less popular at rank 23 in the US, but it’s still significant with more than 1 billion visitors per month.

Here is Reddit’s overview on Ahrefs:

And here’s Quora’s overview:

Both platforms attract significant organic traffic each month, with Reddit and Quora each seeing hundreds of millions of visits. This high volume of engaged users makes these platforms valuable for connecting with potential customers, building brand awareness, and potentially acquiring backlinks for your website, when approached strategically and in compliance with each platform’s guidelines.

Google also favors community discussion platforms like Reddit and Quora, and they tend to appear more frequently in search engines. Reddit announced a formal partnership with Google in February 2024 to make it easier for Google to discover content from Reddit and to give the search giant full permission to use use Reddit data to train its AI models:

“With this partnership, and via our Data API, we’re ushering in new ways for Reddit content to be displayed across Google products by providing programmatic access to new, constantly evolving, and dynamic public posts, comments, etc., on Reddit. This enhanced collaboration provides Google with an efficient and structured way to access the vast corpus of existing content on Reddit and enables Google to use the Reddit Data API to improve its products and services – including supporting new ways to display Reddit content and providing more efficient ways to train models.”

A recent study examining 10,000 key search phrases revealed the growing prominence of Reddit and Quora in search results:

• Reddit appeared in 7,509 search results and was featured 14,263 times.
• Quora appeared in 3,513 search results and was featured 3,832 times.

The analysis showed that Reddit had a significant presence, appearing in over 75% of the results. Quora also demonstrated strong visibility, showing up in about 35% of the results. 

These figures are particularly striking when compared to other online forums. The combined appearance of all other forums (766 in total) in the study was less than 5,000 times, which is substantially lower than Reddit’s presence alone. These other forums also lacked the consistent visibility across search results that both Reddit and Quora maintained.

If used strategically, Reddit and Quora can be extremely useful for SEO and marketing purposes. Users are turning to these platforms for:

1. Authentic, user-generated content: Both Reddit and Quora offer content that users perceive as more genuine and less influenced by commercial interests.
2. Specialized knowledge: These platforms often provide in-depth, niche information that may not be easily found through traditional search engines.
3. Real-time information: For current events or rapidly changing situations, users often find the most up-to-date information on these platforms.
4. Community engagement: Users value the ability to interact directly with information providers, ask follow-up questions, and engage in discussions.

What This Means for Advertisers

1. Reduced visibility on traditional search engines: As users bypass Google and go directly to Reddit or Quora, advertisers may see decreased visibility for certain types of queries on traditional search platforms.
2. Changed user intent: Users arriving at these platforms often have different intents compared to those using traditional search engines, requiring adjusted advertising strategies.
3. New advertising ecosystems: Advertisers need to familiarize themselves with the unique advertising options on Reddit and Quora.

As the search landscape continues to fragment, advertisers who can effectively navigate and use these alternative platforms will be well-positioned to reach their target audiences in meaningful ways. 

The key is to understand the unique characteristics of Reddit and Quora and tailor approaches accordingly, while maintaining a presence on traditional search engines.

Strategies for the Future of Search Advertising

Let’s face it: the search landscape is changing faster than most of us can keep up with. But as advertisers, we don’t have the luxury of falling behind. It’s 2024, and if we want to stay in the game, we need to be on our toes.

What’s shaping the future of search advertising? It’s a mix of cutting-edge tech, evolving user habits, and new players entering the field. Think AI that’s getting smarter by the day, users who are savvier than ever, and platforms popping up left and right.

Here are some strategies that’ll separate the pros from the amateurs in the world of search advertising.

1) Multi-platform Approach

Gone are the days when Google was the only game in town. A successful search advertising strategy now requires a presence across multiple platforms:

• Diversifying ad spend: Gone are the days when Google was the only game in town. A successful search advertising strategy now requires a presence across multiple platforms. Diversify your ad spend by allocating budget across Google, Bing, Reddit, Quora, and emerging platforms. Experiment with budget distribution to find the optimal mix for your target audience, considering platform-specific strengths such as Reddit for niche communities or Quora for B2B:

• Platform-specific content optimization: Optimize your content for each platform specifically. Tailor your ad copy and creative for each platform’s unique audience and format. Leverage platform-specific features like Reddit’s subreddit targeting or Quora’s question targeting. Adapt your tone and style to match user expectations on each platform.

2) Emphasis on User-Generated and Authentic Content

As users become more adept at identifying and ignoring traditional advertising, authenticity becomes crucial:

• Native advertising integration: Focus on native advertising integration by creating ads that seamlessly blend with organic content on each platform. Use platform-specific formats such as Reddit’s promoted posts or Quora’s promoted answers. Engage in conversations naturally, providing value before promoting products:

• Leveraging social proof: Incorporate user reviews and testimonials directly into your ad copy. Use case studies and real-life examples to demonstrate your product’s value. Consider collaborating with micro-influencers for more authentic endorsements.

• Community engagement: Engage with the community on these platforms. Participate in relevant online communities before introducing ads; this is especially important on Reddit, where users value active participation. Host AMAs (Ask Me Anything) sessions on Reddit to build credibility. Contribute valuable answers on Quora to establish expertise in your field.

3) Adapting to AI-Driven Search Results

AI is quickly becoming an integral part of the search landscape and is fundamentally changing how users get results from search engines. Advertisers must adapt to maintain relevance. Here are some key approaches: 

• Optimizing for conversational AI: Optimize for conversational AI by focusing on natural language keywords and phrases. Structure your content to directly answer specific questions. Use schema markup to help AI better understand your content.

• Complementing AI-generated summaries: Complement AI-generated summaries by creating concise, information-rich ad copy that can be easily extracted by AI. Use structured data to increase your chances of being featured in AI-generated summaries. Develop strategies to stand out in AI-curated search results.

• Exploring new AI-compatible ad formats: Experiment with interactive ad formats that work well with AI interfaces. Develop voice-optimized ads for AI-powered voice search. Consider how your ads can provide additional value alongside AI-generated content.

These strategies can help you stay at the forefront of search advertising. Regularly test new approaches, measure results meticulously, and be prepared to pivot quickly as the search ecosystem continues to transform.

Final Thoughts on the Evolving Landscape of Search Advertising

Search advertising is undergoing significant transformations. From the rise of AI-driven search experiences to the growing importance of visual content and the emergence of new search platforms, advertisers face both challenges and opportunities in this dynamic environment.

To succeed, you must be willing to embrace new technologies, platforms, and strategies while continuously refining your approach based on data-driven insights. This means staying informed about the latest trends, experimenting with new ad formats and targeting options, and always putting the user experience at the forefront of their campaigns.

By focusing on these elements and remaining agile in the face of change, advertisers can not only survive but thrive in the exciting and ever-changing world of search advertising!

If you’re ready to level up your search advertising, Single Grain’s SEO experts can help!👇

Adapt & Thrive

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