nds.  Australian retailers may need to adapt to these shifts or risk being left invisible in the spaces where customers now begin their shopping journey. From Google to TikTok Melissa Laurie, founder of social video agency, Oysterly Media, explained that the shift to social search is about a fundamentally different kind of experience. “Searching on TikTok and Instagram gives you an experience that’s unlike Google– visual, instant and personalised to you. You don’t have to scroll through AI results, optimised websites or sponsored listings,” she told Inside Retail. The shift in consumer behaviour has been rapid. “With one in four TikTok users starting to search for something within the first 30 seconds of opening the app, these platforms have transformed discovery,” Laurie said. Short-form video is interactive, entertaining and powered by real people. Even as social platforms accelerate discovery, AI is reshaping what happens on Google. With AI overviews, users often find the answer they need without clicking through. “In the past, Google’s algorithm could shut your company down overnight. I think we could all agree that if you didn’t appear on Google, you didn’t exist,” Laurie said. With the advent of AI overviews, the challenge is now the declining click-through rate to retailers and other third-party sites that once captured discovery traffic on Google.   The impact is measurable. According to Pew Research, when an AI overview appears, users click through only 8 per cent of the time compared to 15 per cent without it. Many publishers are already reporting traffic drops of 20 to 30 per cent. To adapt to the rise of AI overviews and social search, however, Laurie says retailers should begin with the basics rather than rushing into features like live shopping or in-app checkout.  The priority is consistency, posting at least three short videos a week on TikTok and Instagram and cultivating a network of small UGC creators who fit the brand’s audience and know how to craft engaging content. “A great example is Kmart, which works with creators to produce short-form videos on Instagram and TikTok that feature products and drive sales,” she said. “These videos are posted on Kmart’s social profiles, and are a different approach to influencer marketing.” Lessons from skincare brand Bubble  The beauty category has been one of the quickest to adapt. Shai Eisenman, founder of skincare brand Bubble, describes how short-form video, in particular YouTube, has changed discovery and education. “YouTube and short-form video have become powerful tools for education,” Eisenman told Inside Retail. “TikTok is incredible for discovery, but we’ve seen even stronger engagement on YouTube, where consumers actively come to learn,” she added. “It allows us to go deeper on skincare education, helping new consumers understand not just our products but how to use them effectively.”  Eisenman sees social platforms as the new entry point for retail, where discovery, trust and trends are formed long before a customer steps into the store.  For Bubble, that means ensuring digital momentum translates seamlessly into physical retail, whether it’s responding quickly to a viral product or producing content that drives shoppers into stores.  The aim is to dissolve the divide between online and offline so the brand feels consistent and authentic wherever it is encountered. Eisenman also sees AI search as a mixed development.  “AI-driven search is definitely changing the landscape, but for beauty brands, it’s as much an opportunity as it is a challenge. If Google surfaces summaries instead of clicks, it means brands have to work harder to ensure their expertise and credibility are backed into that top-line information,” she said. Ultimately, she believes social discovery will only grow stronger because consumers still want authentic, human-driven recommendations.  “We see the future as a balance where AI is providing quick answers and social platforms are driving connection and community,” she said. The road ahead There are many possible implications for Australian retailers as the dominance of Google traffic is being diluted by AI, while TikTok and Instagram are consolidating their power as discovery engines.  The opportunity lies in showing up with the right content, the right creators and the right level of authenticity. Posting a video may be the easy part; the real challenge, though, is ensuring it rises to the top of social search.  Success is equal parts artistry and algorithm, comprising the sharp hook that grabs attention, the bold text that halts the scroll and the captions and hashtags chosen with precision. When crafted this way, a simple clip has the potential to reach people and, most importantly, persuade them to act. The front door to retail is moving, and the challenge for retailers is keeping up.