The role of search in the consumer journey is seeing a major shift, as more people turn from traditional search sites to other tools for discovery. In fact, today, according to EMARKETER, more people are starting their searches on social and retail media sites than on search engines.

This shift, along with the rapid growth of both channels, is changing the way marketers think about advertising on social and retail media and where they fit into the overall media budget. Some are integrating their buys into broader omnichannel campaigns, but struggle to connect the dots across platforms and media.

Social media’s growing influence over the consumer journey

Marketers have embraced social media as an advertising platform, with good reason. Social media ads pack a punch with a multiplier of 6.4, according to DISQO’s latest Social Media Benchmarks report.

TikTok’s explosive growth over the past few years sheds light on the influence of the medium overall in consumers’ lives. While the platform gained traction for its entertainment value, it has evolved into a robust search tool. DISQO’s 2024 release of its annual TikTok Advertising report revealed that consumer perception of the platform’s ability to provide information, assist with the discovery of new things, and help users keep up with trends has grown YoY. And, when you look specifically at Gen Z, TikTok’s influence rises significantly. As these digital native consumers continue to age into an economic powerhouse, social media will only strengthen as an advertising channel.

Retail media’s power as a performance and brand-building platform

Recent data from DISQO shows that 46% of people shop online at least weekly. Additionally, 88% of those consumers said they use search on retail sites throughout the entire funnel, from researching to purchasing to validating their buying decisions. But, retail isn’t just an opportunity for brands to close the deal with consumers; it’s also a brand-building platform, with 92% of people saying that homepage suggestions for brands or products were important.

How are marketers measuring campaign performance across retail and social?

Retail and social media offer brands an opportunity to message consumers where they are in their journey and push them in the right direction. However, brands are challenged by siloed walls and measurement gaps, which prevent them from seeing the totality of their marketing efforts.

DISQO partners with brands to help them understand how their platforms can drive consumers through their full journey—from awareness to purchase. As more brands look to incorporate social and retail media into their omnichannel advertising strategies, the demand for connecting brand results to performance will only increase.

After all, it’s not just one ad, one platform, one journey, or one click. Advertisers can’t optimize in silos nor should they focus on optimizing just one part of the funnel. Marketers should look for measurement that provides a holistic view of how ads drive behavior across different channels, allowing for more effective optimization and resource allocation.

What should marketers look for in a measurement partner?

Finding the right measurement partner who can help you measure and optimize your campaigns across media and throughout the funnel requires very specific capabilities. They should have:

• Identity-based measurement: Single-source, deterministic access to consumers who willingly share their brand experiences, empowering person-level measurement that’s not reliant on cookies or unstable identifiers.
• Full-funnel insights: Connection of brand KPIs like awareness, preference, and purchase intent to online behaviors like search, site visits, and ecommerce.
• Cross-media, omnichannel performance: Insight into performance across all media, devices, and channels. This should include digital and programmatic, retail media, social media, TV and connected TV, audio, and out-of-home, enabling understanding of the contribution of individual media channels, and importantly, how these channels work in synergy.

Measuring the impact of advertising on retail and social media sites is essential for optimizing broader omnichannel campaigns. Search on these sites plays a pivotal role in the consumer journey, influencing discovery, consideration, conversion, and post-purchase engagement. By adopting identity-based measurement, marketers can enhance their advertising strategies, ensuring they allocate resources effectively and drive better outcomes.

—Armen Adjemian, CEO and co-founder, DISQO