In this episode titled, Mastering Search Intelligence: Ranking Strategies Across Social, AI, Voice, and Video, Kerry Curran dives into the dynamic world of search intelligence with Melíssa Harden, VP of Search Intelligence at Digitas. From TikTok to Amazon, ChatGPT to Perplexity, Melíssa explores how search behavior has shifted beyond Google, requiring brands to master ranking strategies across social platforms, AI tools, voice search, and video content. With actionable insights on breaking silos, integrating cross-platform SEO, and embracing authenticity to connect with audiences, this episode offers a forward-looking guide for marketers to thrive in an ever-evolving digital landscape while driving revenue growth.

Podcast transcript

Kerry Curran, RBMA (00:01.155)

Welcome, Melíssa! Please introduce yourself and share your background and expertise.

Melíssa Harden (00:07.118)

Yeah, thank you so much, Kerry. My name is Melíssa Harden, and I am the VP of Search Intelligence at Digitas in the U.S. I have an extensive background in SEO and digital marketing. I swear I’m still young, but I’m approaching 18 years in the industry!

My experience spans a variety of sectors. I worked at Meredith in the publications space when commerce publishing was just taking off. I’ve also been part of the startup world in the tech industry and have done significant work in commerce and retail.

I’ve had the opportunity to experience search from multiple perspectives—whether at scale or in unique B2B applications. I’ve been tracking Google’s evolution for a long time, analyzing and dissecting changes to understand where search is heading.

Kerry Curran, RBMA (01:11.446)

Well, I’m really excited to have you on! To start, I think your role is a testament to the importance of search—it’s impressive that you have a search intelligence title. Can you share more about what that entails?

Melíssa Harden (01:30.722)

Yeah, great question! Search intelligence isn’t something you typically see when looking for an SEO role. It’s more about understanding the current state of search and how multiple factors are converging at once.

When people hear SEO, they often think only of Google. One of the key messages I try to evangelize is that search is a behavior, and it happens across every platform.

At Digitas, we focus on emerging search trends—not just Google and its market share, but also TikTok search, emerging search engines like Perplexity and ChatGPT, and how users search within Amazon or Walmart. All of these platforms shape how people discover information.

Winning in search today requires more than just technical SEO or content SEO. Brands need to consider their audience, branding, social strategy, CRM, and customer loyalty programs—all of which impact search rankings and visibility.

Kerry Curran, RBMA (02:54.634)

Absolutely. I started my digital marketing career as an SEO manager back when title tags and descriptions were the most important factors—way back in the aughts! It’s fascinating how search has evolved.

You touched on how consumer search behavior is shifting across multiple platforms. Can you dive deeper into the behavioral trends you’re seeing and how they’re driving platform innovation?

Melíssa Harden (03:30.018)

Definitely. About three years ago, search behavior started expanding beyond Google in a significant way. TikTok was one of the first platforms to challenge Google in terms of search behavior.

Platforms like Pinterest, TikTok, and YouTube became search destinations because users preferred their content formats. Instead of clicking on a webpage in Google, users could watch short-form videos on TikTok, create vision boards on Pinterest, or find in-depth video content on YouTube.

This shift forced platforms like TikTok to evolve into search engines, even though that wasn’t their original intent. Users started treating them like search engines, which meant these platforms had to adjust their algorithms and product teams had to rethink their approach.

Kerry Curran, RBMA (05:40.706)

That makes a lot of sense. Amazon is another example—it’s now the #1 platform for product discovery. Nobody browses Amazon; everyone goes straight to the search bar.

How do you see AI-driven search engines like ChatGPT and Perplexity fitting into this evolution?

Melíssa Harden (07:21.026)

It’s the same pattern we saw with TikTok—AI platforms weren’t originally built to be search engines, but user behavior is forcing them to become one.

ChatGPT was initially launched to assist with productivity and content generation, but users started asking it questions like they would on Google. The challenge was that early versions of ChatGPT only had data up until 2021.

Now, OpenAI has integrated real-time search capabilities, using Bing’s search data. They initially planned to launch “Search GPT” separately but quickly realized people don’t want to switch between two platforms. So now, ChatGPT merges AI-driven responses with live web search results.

Meanwhile, Perplexity has become an AI-powered search engine with a different approach. Unlike ChatGPT, Perplexity doesn’t have a direct Google partnership, but its top results often align with Google’s top 10 rankings. It also includes citations and links, making it a more transparent search experience than some AI platforms that just generate answers without crediting sources.

Kerry Curran, RBMA (10:48.938)

That’s fascinating! And you mentioned that Perplexity is growing at a rapid rate. Tell us more about that.

Melíssa Harden (10:55.342)

Yes! I didn’t run the data myself, but I’ve seen reports that Perplexity is growing at 70% month-over-month. That’s huge. For comparison, ChatGPT is growing around 40-45% per month, which is still impressive.

If this trajectory continues, projections suggest ChatGPT could rival Google in four years. That might seem like a long time, but in tech evolution, four years is nothing.

Kerry Curran, RBMA (12:24.372)

That’s a big shift for marketers. How should brands and agencies prepare for these changes?

Melíssa Harden (12:38.850)

It comes down to knowing your audience. This sounds like a marketing cliché, but many brands think they know their audience when they actually don’t.

Audiences behave differently on different platforms. What works on Google isn’t the same as what works on TikTok, Amazon, or AI-driven platforms. Also, authenticity is more critical than ever. With AI-generated content flooding the internet, consumers are questioning what’s real. Brands need to be transparent, show their people, and engage in meaningful ways.

Google and AI search engines now factor in brand authority, engagement, and user experience—it’s not just about keywords anymore. Social signals, digital PR, and content engagement all contribute to rankings.

Kerry Curran, RBMA (19:42.452)

I love that. A lot of the brand strategy work I’ve been doing lately focuses on authenticity and audience connection. It’s a lot to think about, but starting with the audience is the right foundation.

Melíssa, any final tips or advice?

Melíssa Harden (20:13.786)

Yes—stay informed and embrace change. This moment reminds me of the late 1990s, when businesses still relied on Yellow Pages ads, unsure about the internet’s potential.

Today, we’re at another turning point with AI-driven search. It will be bumpy for the next few years, but brands that adapt and integrate their marketing efforts across channels will win.

Kerry Curran, RBMA (21:08.884)

That’s such great advice. Before we wrap up, tell everyone where they can follow your insights and content.

Melíssa Harden (21:30.530)

For professional inquiries, you can reach me at Melí[email protected].

For industry insights, my husband and I started a YouTube podcast called The Search Bar—you can find us at Harden Search Bar on YouTube. Instead of just discussing search over dinner, we decided to put some mics in front of us!

Kerry Curran, RBMA (22:16.106)

That’s awesome! We’ll link to everything in the show notes. Melíssa, thank you so much—this was fantastic. Looking forward to seeing you next week!

Melíssa Harden (22:28.760)

Same here! Thanks, Kerry.