Connecting Search and Social

Nearly 60% of Google searches in the U.S. now end without a click—meaning traditional SEO metrics like rankings are no longer enough. In this episode of Voices of Search, Jordan Cooney sits down with Celeste Gonzalez, SEO Testing Director at RicketyRoo and founder of the LA SEO Meetup Group, to explore the future of search: search experience optimization (SXO). Gonzalez argues that the real opportunity lies not in chasing rankings, but in understanding user behavior across search, social media, and on-site interactions. She shares how social platforms like TikTok and Instagram are not just marketing channels but vital sources of real user insights—especially for local businesses that lack AI traffic. Her own Chrome extension for analyzing Google Business Profile reviews demonstrates how scrappy, self-built tools can uncover actionable data that traditional platforms miss. The episode reveals a powerful shift: SEO is no longer about indexing and keywords, but about building user-centric experiences across channels. Gonzalez emphasizes that creativity in SEO comes not from AI-generated content, but from leveraging unique client data and fostering human connection through community. The key takeaway? Stop treating search as a silo. The future belongs to those who connect data from social, search, and on-site behavior into a unified user experience strategy.