Search + Social Are the Holiday 2025 Power Couple

This post was originally published in 2024 and updated for 2025 with new stats and recommendations.

Holiday shopping might look messy on the surface — carts abandoned, shoppers bouncing between platforms, endless promo codes. But if you trace the shopper journey, a clear pattern emerges.

It almost always runs through social and search.

Shoppers scroll TikTok, Instagram, or YouTube Shorts for inspiration. They jump to Google or Amazon to validate what they saw. Then they check retail media networks like Walmart Connect or Instacart to compare prices and delivery times. Finally, they loop back to social and get hit with a retargeted ad that nudges them to buy.

More than 80% of consumers now use social platforms to discover or research products. At the same time, retail search is surging, with ad spend on platforms like Amazon and Walmart forecast to keep climbing through 2025.

So while timing sets the table and omnichannel keeps the journey connected, this year’s biggest wins will happen where search and social collide.

Search in 2025: Smarter, Sharper, Stronger

Search is no longer just about keywords. AI is changing how results appear, surfacing product ads and recommendations that feel conversational. By 2026, AI-driven search ads are expected to more than double.

For advertisers, that means intent data is more powerful than ever. A shopper typing “best holiday headphones under $200” is telling you exactly what they want. If your campaigns don’t show up with relevant creative and competitive offers, you’re leaving money on the table.

Retail search ads add another layer. Amazon, Walmart Connect, and Instacart don’t just capture intent — they prove outcomes with closed-loop sales data. For media planners trying to stretch shrinking budgets, this is where accountability meets opportunity.

Social in 2025: From Inspiration to Checkout

Meanwhile, social is no longer just for discovery — it’s where shoppers expect to buy. Nearly 17% of all online sales are projected to come from social commerce in 2025.

TikTok is the trendsetter, sparking demand that can turn a product viral overnight. Instagram and Meta still anchor multi-generational engagement. YouTube Shorts fuels discovery through creators and reviews. And crucially, in-app checkout has closed the gap between seeing and spending.

This means your social creative can’t just be clever. It has to be shoppable. If a shopper can’t tap, swipe, or click to buy, you risk losing them to someone who makes it easier.

Why Search + Social Work Best Together

The real story of Holiday 2025 isn’t search versus social — it’s the way they fuel each other.

Think of it like this:

• Social sparks the idea.
• Search validates the choice.
• Retail media closes the loop.

A shopper sees a TikTok video of a “cozy holiday candle set.” They search the brand name on Google. They compare prices on Amazon and Walmart. Later that night, they’re back on Instagram and see a retargeted ad with free shipping that nudges them to convert.

Advertisers who build campaigns that expect this fluid path — and make the message feel seamless along the way — will win.

Four Ways Advertisers Can Maximize Search + Social

1. Launch campaigns in tandem

Don’t treat search and social as separate flight plans. Launch them together so TikTok discovery drives Google queries, and paid search captures the intent social sparked.

2. Keep creative consistent (but not copy-paste)

Shoppers should recognize the same offer wherever they go. That doesn’t mean running identical creative, but the holiday value prop should carry across TikTok, Google Shopping, Amazon Sponsored Products, and Meta ads.

3. Close the loop with retail media

If your social campaign is inspiring clicks, your retail search ads need to be ready to convert. Without that handoff, you’re essentially paying to prime shoppers for a competitor’s product page.

4. Measure the mix, not the last click

Was it the TikTok video or the Google search that closed the sale? The answer is both. Use multi-touch attribution and sales lift data from Amazon or Walmart to see how search and social lift each other.

Why Search + Social Matters in 2025

Holiday advertising has always been competitive. What’s changed is how compressed the shopper journey feels. In a single afternoon, a consumer can discover, compare, and check out — all powered by search and social.

Advertisers who align these two channels — with campaigns that move fluidly from feed to search result to checkout — will capture attention and sales. Those who don’t will spend the season fueling competitors’ conversions.

And if you want to understand what’s really driving shoppers’ decisions this year, start with Dear Advertiser: A Letter from Your Holiday Shopper.

Build Smarter Campaigns This Holiday Season

From AI-driven search to shoppable social, Holiday 2025 rewards brands that connect the dots. Get the full strategy guide in our 2025 Holiday Shopping Package, complete with timelines, platform insights, and creative recommendations.