The Future of Social within Search

Social platforms are no longer just channels for connection, they are becoming powerful search engines in their own right. From TikTok’s growing role as a discovery hub to LinkedIn’s unmatched professional conversation data, social search is shaping how brands, consumers, and influencers connect.

This session will explore the ideation, evolution, and future of social search, covering platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Reddit, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and YouTube.

Social search is not just a trend, it’s the next wave of consumer discovery. With users increasingly searching within platforms rather than through traditional engines, understanding how to leverage these conversations will be essential for brand visibility, influencer collaborations, and long-term growth.

• How brands and agencies can harness social search ideation
• What makes platforms like TikTok, Pinterest, and LinkedIn uniquely powerful for discovery
• The future role of influencers, including finance creators - how they collaborate with brands and how they prefer to be briefed
• ROASTok & Beyond – case examples of how content drives discovery

Alex Sheppard, Insights Manager

James George, Organic Performance Account Manager

Aimee Metcalf, Organic Performance - Content Lead

Info: Social platforms are actively being cited by LLMs. This makes geo, content, and brand sentiment more important than ever, as what gets published online is shaping the way AI learns, interprets, and reflects culture back to us.

Info: Social isn’t just a broadcast channel - it’s now a driver of authority and visibility:

Brand Expertise: Showcase knowledge, thought leadership, and niche authority where audiences gather.
Search: Social content increasingly influences discoverability, with platforms doubling as search engines in their own right.
PR: Social is now central to reputation management, crisis response, and amplifying brand stories at scale.

Info: Communities are forming and thriving on platforms like Reddit, where raw and authentic dialogue gives a truer reflection of what audiences think and feel. Harnessing this insight requires a shift in how brands approach social listening, moving beyond surface-level metrics to understand sentiment, needs, and cultural shifts in real time.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

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Host or Publisher ROAST