Are people really “searching” on Google first anymore?

Google desktop searches per user dropped by nearly 20% year over year, according to clickstream data from tens of millions of U.S. users.

That decline looks very different in Europe, where searches per user fell only 2% to 3% over the same period.

For many brands, the bigger problem is not ranking on page one. It’s that potential customers are discovering products, reviews, and recommendations on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn long before they ever land on a website.

Search behavior has shifted, but most marketing teams are still measuring visibility in silos, treating SEO and social like two separate strategies.

The integration makes sense as social media continues to become a popular method for search and information, with 15% of consumers believing social media is the most accurate and current source for up-to-date business details.

In this blog, we’ll break down what Google’s new Social Channel Insights feature in Search Console means, why it matters for modern discovery, and how marketers can adapt their search and social strategies to stay visible where audiences are actually looking.

A Sneak Peek into Social Channel Insights: What’s Changed

Google Search Console has long been the go-to tool for understanding how your website performs in search. But with the introduction of Social Channel Insights, Google is signaling something bigger: visibility is no longer just about web pages, it’s also about your brand’s presence across social platforms.

With this update, Search Console Insights is beginning to include performance signals tied to your social channels, helping marketers understand how audiences discover and engage with brand content beyond the website.

Here’s what’s changed:

Social profiles are becoming part of the search visibility story

Instead of measuring SEO impact only through website clicks, brands can now start seeing how their social presence contributes to discovery.

More connected insights across channels

The update reflects the reality of modern user behavior, where people might discover a brand through a video or social post first, then return to Google to validate, compare, or take action.

A step toward unified discovery reporting

This feature hints at a future where marketers can evaluate search visibility in a broader way, connecting performance across web and social rather than tracking them in isolation.

What This Means for Marketers in 2026

Google’s Social Channel Insights inside Search Console fundamentally changes how marketers evaluate performance and plan strategy. Social media is no longer just a brand awareness lever. 

Now these social channel insights directly influence search visibility, discoverability, and measurable organic performance. This update further converges SEO and social media into the same reporting ecosystem, forcing teams to think in a more integrated way.

Here’s the impact for marketers:

• Social content becomes measurable within SEO performance reporting
• Marketers can identify which social platforms influence search impressions and clicks
• Social posts can be optimized with search intent in mind
• Content teams must align messaging across search and social channels
• High-performing social topics can inform SEO content roadmaps
• Reporting becomes more unified, reducing siloed metrics across teams

For 2026 marketing teams, the competitive advantage will come from integration. Brands that connect social signals with search strategy, track performance holistically, and adapt content based on cross-channel insights will outperform those still treating social and SEO as separate efforts.

How GTM Delta Helps You Turn Insight Into Impact

As search and social become more interconnected, marketers need more than data. They need strategy, content, and execution that align across every channel.

That is where GTM Delta comes in. We help brands translate platform insights into integrated campaigns that drive measurable growth.

Our event strategy and planning sessions further connect digital visibility with real-world engagement.

In a landscape where discoverability depends on cross-channel alignment, GTM Delta helps marketing teams move from siloed tactics to unified, revenue-focused execution.