Beyond Google: the new discovery landscape for healthcare brands

When researching new healthcare products, consumers no longer follow a single path to purchase. Google remains a key part of that journey but it’s now one of several places a search can begin. For example, consumers looking for low energy supplements will likely search on TikTok for the most effective supplement, then look on Instagram or Reddit for real customer experiences of the brand, before heading to Google to compare products, check ingredient safety and confirm the brand’s credibility before purchasing.

It’s therefore important for brands to be visible across every stage of the journey and incorporate multiple methods of search into a Total Search strategy.

The shift in healthcare search

According to Sprout Social’s 2026 data, social media platforms, such as TikTok, Instagram and YouTube now account for over 60% of product discovery, while Google accounts for 34.5% of total search share.

The more significant shift is not where people scroll but where intent forms. Health and wellness consumers are researching and comparing across multiple platforms before a traditional search engine enters the picture at all.

For healthcare, the consequences of missing that early-stage discovery are significant, especially in attracting younger consumers. YouGov Profiles data shows that around 40% of UK Gen Z turn to social media for health and wellness information, almost twice the rate of older generations at 22%. For this generation, social media is nearly as common a source as doctors and health professionals at 47%. This means they are most open to influence and most likely to convert on the basis of what they find on social platforms. In health and wellness, where purchase decisions are shaped by research, peer validation and trust, catering to this shift in search is essential. 

Where your customers are searching

There are three social media platforms reshaping health and wellness discovery each play a distinct role in the consumer journey. Understanding what job each one does is a great starting point for developing your search strategy.

TikTok

TikTok has become a search engine in its own right, particularly for health and wellness content. According to Dash Social’s 2026 Health and Wellness Industry Benchmarks, views in the health and wellness category rose 146% in the second half of 2025. Users aren’t just consuming but actively searching. Roughly 49% of Gen Z uses TikTok specifically for product discovery. For health brands, this means TikTok is a search surface that needs to be treated with the same intent-matching rigour as keyword strategy.

Instagram

After initial discovery, consumers frequently move to Instagram to find real-world evidence from people like them. Reels drive the strongest engagement on the platform, and brands leveraging UGC and customer stories consistently outperform those running traditional ad creative. Audiences respond more to peer-driven content than polished brand messaging.

YouTube

Google’s AI Overviews are increasingly pulling from YouTube content when generating answers to health queries. A well-optimised YouTube presence is therefore a dual-channel asset – it drives social discovery and earns citations in AI-generated search results simultaneously. Shorter, structured videos with clear takeaways outperform longer formats.

Why credibility signals matter

Discovery via social media is earned through credibility, not just reach. Clinical backing, ingredient transparency, third-party validation and brand ethics are the signals consumers use to judge whether content converts. IQVIA’s analysis of the evolving consumer health search landscape makes clear that content must meet elevated standards for trust, clarity and relevance across all search surfaces. The same EEAT principles (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) that Google applies to health content don’t stop at the search results page. They also apply on TikTok, in Instagram comments, and in every YouTube description.

UGC is a powerful tool in this category. In health, manufactured-looking testimonials backfire in a way they might not in other sectors. Consumers in this space are actively looking for evidence, not just enthusiasm. Brands that build content around credible voices, transparent ingredients and verifiable claims stand out in search results.

The trust question also extends to AI discovery. Generative search is transforming consumer health marketing with signals such as brand mentions, expert commentary, reviews and third-party references all helping to reinforce credibility. The more trustworthy a brand is, the more likely it is to show in AI search results.

The case for Total Search

Consumer behaviour in health and wellness does not follow a linear path. For example, TikTok may introduce a consumer to a brand and they then move to Instagram for social proof, or a Google search may return an AI Overview that cites a YouTube video. Each platform reinforces the next. Brands that treat these as separate budgets with separate briefs are missing the effect that comes from building a coherent presence across all of them.

This is the logic behind Total Search: a strategic framework that connects Google, social search and AI discovery through shared content logic and consistent credibility signals. The organisations that succeed will be those that build credibility across the entire digital ecosystem and optimise their presence for both traditional search engines and AI-driven discovery.

Social media’s impact on search rankings now extends well beyond indirect brand awareness. Social profiles are indexed by search engines. Social content appears in SERPs. YouTube content is actively feeding Google’s AI Overviews. The platforms are all technically interconnected.

For health and wellness brands, the strategic opportunity is significant. Most brands are still optimising channel by channel. Those that build coherent, credible cross-platform visibility now will be best positioned as the search landscape continues to evolve.