From Search to Research
There’s a tidal wave changing the way we search. Learn what these evolving behaviors mean for your media mix.
As told by Reddit, GWI, AmbassCo, and Brandwatch
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The way we search is changing. The era of AI and influencers brings baggage in the form of distrust and skepticism in the digital channels users rely on most.
Reddit, filled with crowd-sourced advice and community-verified information plays an increasingly important role in the way people search, discover, share, and consume trusted content.
No matter where your purchase journey begins, all roads lead through Reddit, to get the validation and credible information you’re after.
This report by Reddit, GWI and AmbassCo dives into the evolving search behaviors we’re seeing, and what the overlap between search, conversation, and community means for your media mix.
This report by Reddit, GWI and AmbassCo dives into the evolving search behaviors we’re seeing, and what the overlap between search, conversation, and community means for your media mix.
Search is evolving
Influencers, AI, and paid-for results have polluted feeds, making it harder to search for the right answers. The answers they do find are increasingly unreliable.
To plug the gaps, search is shifting
Overall, expectations of search are rising. When searching for their next favorite purchase, shoppers want convenience, context, and consensus to help make more informed decisions.
Convenience
Social algorithms have changed expectations of online shopping. Instead of conducting product research, Gen Z expects brands and products to come to them.
Context
They’re not content with generalized responses: they have specific questions, and they want specific answers.
Consensus
Trust is created through human opinions shared in back and forth conversations and discourse. Gen Z crave dialogue that ultimately creates consensus.
All roads lead through Reddit
We were made for this moment. A deficit of trust in digital culture is leading people back to Reddit. That’s why seeking opinions from networks or communities is the #1 reason people use Reddit for product research.
- #1 reason people use Reddit is for seeking opinions from networks or communities for product research.3
- 1-in-3 shoppers that first heard about a product/service on independent review sites, Amazon or even Google, came to Reddit for additional research on that purchase.4
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1 GlobalWebIndex & Reddit Custom Survey, US, UK, DE Data, 2024
2 Reddit Custom Survey, US, UK, AU, CA, DE, “Validating Purchase Recommendations”, n=4,500, A18+, 2023