Has TiTok Replaced Google for Gen Z Users?

More and more people are now relying upon social media platforms, like TikTok and Instagram, to seek recommendations for places and foods to try.

Not just that, these platforms have now also become a major trusted source to discover news and more important information, leaving the search engine – Google, behind. 

Wasn’t TikTok a place of entertainment?

Well, seems like now, it has taken over google for those young adults (falling in the age range of 10-25). It is becoming a popular place for video entertainment as well as discovery search.

According to TechCrunch, Google’s Prabhakar Raghavan, a senior vice president in charge of Google Search, said, “In our studies, something like almost 40 percent of young people, when they’re looking for a place for lunch, they don’t go to Google Maps or Search. They go to TikTok or Instagram.” in reference to a survey of U.S. users, ages 18 to 24.

Today, internet users are inclined more toward like-minded communities, Plain text-based search results do not fancy them anymore. The demand for visual content is shooting high.

The TikTok algorithm offers a blend of what’s useful and what’s trendy while delivering its search results. Plus, these are also backed by more views, likes, and comments that build the authenticity of the user. Here is where Google lacks the most.

TikTok provides an appealing visual answer to all the how, what, when, and where.

“We’re just like kids who don’t like to read books,” said Getahoun, who attends the University of California at Berkeley. “You give them a picture book, and suddenly they start seeing the vision.”

So, the new search engine for Gen Z and most Millennials is now TikTok.
However, Google has also begun to leverage AI to analyze videos on the web and direct users to richer search results, Raghavan said. But, it still is now no longer the one-stop solution for many internet users.

In any case, TikTok won’t entirely be able to replace Google for the reason that most of the content over there is user-generated and lacks credibility.

Searching for some travel inspiration or the best restaurants to dine-in in Paris? Try TikTok, maybe?