Why search engines are still better than social media

We're all familiar with search engines like Google, Bing, Yahoo or Baidu if you read Chinese. Though Social Media seems to be so much more in vogue. Social interactions and chat are after-all naturally compelling.

Though searching for things is increasingly important in the ever expanding web. Indeed the idea of searching or looking for something has become a necessary part of most modern activities.
Teachers and students 'search' when researching subjects, Journalists 'search' when drafting an article, police search when looking for criminals.  Shoppers 'search' when checking out prices and products. Everyone who's ever been on the internet searches for things, ideas, locations or histories.  Looking around is a natural extension of curious nature.

I like to think of social media as a top level activity, it's wonderful for brand building, customer feedback and research into what competitors are saying. Indeed Social Media is great once you've acquired a customer to keep them engaged with your brand. Though you'll also notice that Social Media platforms are pretty poor at search specific items or companies. Instead it's our collective habit to follow the opinions of friends and some of their associated friends.
Search on the other hand is a validating process for most people. Whether it be a new pair of shoes or and industrial item we are increasingly being active in our research. Geographical searching via Google maps is indeed one of the most popular of Google's search platforms when buying food and larger or more expensive household goods.