Is Social Media The New Search?

I caught this Sears ad yesterday with a social media call-to-action at the end. I can't remember seeing anyone else doing this on TV. Looks like social's finally made it!


Reminds me of the Google Pontiac ad from a few years ago that signaled search had truly arrived...

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Heck, I can still remember those TV spots that featured AOL Keywords.

Fortunately for my Good URL Bad URL hobby, Sears still opted to include the URL in the frame. Let's hope other advertisers do the same -- not just to fuel my URL-aholism but because it really is a best practice.

I mean, who is really that passionate about Sears that they're going to run to their computer to find their Facebook page or Twitter account? The most Sears can hope for is that their spot will have inspired someone to find the Sears near them and, for that, the URL will get them that info a lot quicker than their You Tube channel.

While it's great to see social media coming front and center, let's not forget that is has it's place. And that place is not directional. That's what search is for.

Social media is a great engagement platform. And if you want your consumers to engage, your best bet is to capture them through search and then direct them from your website to your social media content. Or advertiser in social media spaces. If you're going to use TV to drive social, either focus your entire spot on the value prop of your FB fan page or run a twitter feed along the bottom showing what people are saying about you.

It's gonna take more than an icon to move the needle on your follower count.