Zachary Walker on Social Search, Authentic AI Adoption, and the Future of Online Discovery

As consumer behavior shifts from traditional search engines to creator-driven platforms like TikTok and Instagram, Zachary Walker is helping entrepreneurs rethink how they approach visibility, content, and brand growth. Drawing on his research and experience in digital marketing, he emphasizes the importance of intent-driven content, organic discoverability, and authentic engagement over interruption-based advertising. While AI continues to reshape the marketing landscape, Zachary views it as a powerful collaborator rather than a replacement for human creativity, advocating for a balanced approach that combines efficiency with genuine brand voice. Looking ahead, he believes creator partnerships, niche communities, and trust-based ecosystems will play an increasingly important role in how consumers discover products, services, and brands online.

Zachary, you’ve spent significant time studying how people discover brands through social platforms. How has the rise of “social search” changed the way entrepreneurs and small businesses should think about marketing today?
A common mistake among business owners and entrepreneurs is using social media only as a broadcasting tool, like a megaphone. Social platforms have become interactive discovery engines. Many consumers, especially Gen Z and Millennials, now bypass the most popular traditional search engines. Instead of searching for “best coffee shops in Chicago” in a search bar, they turn to TikTok and Instagram for visual, real-world validation before making purchases. And a lot of the content that shows up in those search queries is often from influencers, and it is effective because consumers prefer insights from real people rather than brands.

Marketing strategies should shift from interruption to intent. Instead of asking, “What do I want to say to my target audience today?” consider, “What specific question is my ideal customer asking, and does my content answer it?” This approach offers a clear advantage for small businesses.

A large advertising budget is not required for your business to appear in-feed or platform searches. Understanding user intent is key, as the brand that delivers the most immediate, authentic, and actionable answer will stand out. For example, when planning a trip, the travel recommendations I see are often from individual creators or small businesses, not major publications.

Many business owners still rely heavily on traditional search engines and paid advertising. What are some practical ways brands can improve their visibility through social content without needing a large marketing budget?
As paid customer acquisition becomes more costly, focusing on organic discoverability is essential. To improve visibility without a large advertising budget, consider these three best practices:

Consumers Are Using Social Media For Product Discovery: From viral Reels to influencer sponsorships, there’s an abundance of content on Instagram and TikTok to drive product discovery. Sprout Social’s 2026 Social Media Content Strategy Report supports this, showing that over a quarter of social users across all generations turn to Instagram to find their next purchase.

Treat your captions like meta-tags: Avoid vague captions and excessive emojis. Social platforms use your post copy for search functionality, so include high-intent, natural keywords in the first two lines to help platforms identify your target audience.

Lean Into Vertical Video: According to Meta’s internal data, Reels account for more than half of the total time users spend on Instagram each day. If your brand isn’t creating Reels and Stories content consistently, you’re nearly invisible for over half of users’ Instagram sessions. This doesn’t mean every piece of content needs to be a Reel, but it does mean your content calendar should prioritize the format.

Encourage others to share your posts: Shared content provides valuable social proof for potential customers and decision-makers. Your strategy should include responding to or reposting those who share your content. Engage your audience by asking questions and inviting them to share their responses on social media or in the comments section of your blog.

By focusing on intent-driven value rather than generic brand awareness, you secure organic visibility that continues to attract traffic well after publication.

AI has become one of the most talked-about topics in business and marketing. Based on your experience and studies, what are the biggest misconceptions creators, entrepreneurs, and marketers have about AI?
The most significant misconception is treating AI as an “autopilot” for content creation and marketing. Full stop, AI cannot replace your unique perspective and ability to create from nothing. The market is already pushing back against the abundance of generic, AI-generated content online, otherwise known as “AI Slop.”

At the company I work for, we encourage strategic AI use, but never as a substitute for human expertise. If marketers or entrepreneurs rely on AI to create entire blog posts or social captions without human input, they risk mediocrity. Another sign that the technology still has room to improve is that AI cannot authentically replicate a brand’s tone and voice. In my experience, AI cannot fully replace creative professionals and marketers. Authenticity is defined by your editorial standards, not the tools you use.

AI excels at processing data, identifying key information, and conducting research efficiently. However, it cannot replicate human empathy, lived experiences, or a unique perspective. Marketers who attempt to replace their brand’s essence with AI, rather than using it to enhance operations, risk falling behind.

You often describe AI as a collaborator rather than a replacement. How can small business owners use AI to increase efficiency and uncover new opportunities while still maintaining an authentic and distinctive brand voice?
I see AI as a capable junior employee, not a senior marketing leader. Throughout my Executive MBA and professional training, I have learned the importance of maintaining a strict “human-in-the-loop” framework.

Let AI manage tasks such as analyzing large datasets, brainstorming seasonal content ideas, or refining initial product descriptions that you’ve written. However, the final 20 percent of your desired output should be handled personally. This includes emotional nuances, brand-specific language, personal anecdotes, and unwritten guidelines.

For example, you can provide your AI tool with the copy from your brand’s top-performing posts and instruct it to create prompts that replicate your tone. Or use AI to generate variations of successful creative concepts you’ve had in the past for future iterations. This allows you to focus on higher-impact opportunities that drive meaningful results.

Looking ahead, what trends do you believe will have the biggest impact on how people discover products, services, and creators online over the next few years, and how can businesses prepare now?
The future of online discovery will be shaped by community ecosystems that feel more fragmented and creator-led distribution. While public feeds serve as entry points for discovery, relationship-building, and conversions are shifting to private channels such as direct messages, broadcast channels, and niche communities like Substack.

As consumers become more skeptical of traditional corporate advertising, creators will strengthen their position as a primary marketing channel for brands of all sizes. Audiences buy from people they trust, and for many, this trust lies with their favorite influencers.

To prepare for this shift, businesses need to do two things today:

Invest early in creator partnerships. Move beyond transactional, one-off influencer campaigns and focus on building long-term, equity-aligned relationships with micro-creators who engage your target audience.

And optimize for ecosystem discovery by making your brand visible across the entire social landscape, not just on search engines. When consumers search for your product category within an app, your community’s voice and your creator partners’ content should appear first.