Is social media the new search engine?

Google is THE reference search engine and represents almost 82% of all web traffic¹ in the world. However, Gartner forecasts that traffic from this worldwide giant should reduce by 25% by 2026².

Traditional search engines are gradually being replaced by social media platforms and TikTok is increasingly competing with Google in the search landscape.

Read about the new online search behaviors and how the rise of TikTok is threatening Google's position.

New web search trends

New ways of searching online

With the development of digital, the Google experience is less and less satisfactory³: endless scrolling through search engine results, overoptimized content generated by humans and AI, multiplication of advertisements…

These elements have “weakened the search engine ranking system³” and encourage users to look for alternative “information sources⁴”.

In this context, the search behaviors of internet users have transformed radically and the platforms they use are changing⁴. They now look to Amazon to research a product, Instagram for the latest trends, and Snap Maps to find a local business.

Increasing use of social media

Younger users increasingly use social media to search for information. 46% of Gen Z⁵ go directly to social media and 35% of millennials⁵ prefer social media to traditional search engines.

They also prefer to use social media⁵ to find a product or service. 37% of under 45s⁶ use social media before even checking a brand's website and 13%⁷ make most of their purchases through these platforms.

The rise of TikTok for online searches

According to the New York Times, “TikTok is the new search engine⁴” for Gen Z with 64% of this generation⁷ having already used it to search online and 17% saying that it is the most useful search engine after Google, YouTube and Bing.

Ever more users prefer the TikTok search experience than that of traditional search engines. There are several ways to explain this:

• Short, informative video format (44%⁴)
• Storytelling (34%⁴)
• Customized content (31%⁴)
• Access to up-to-date information (29%⁴)
• Interactivity and immersivity (29%⁴)

Users also mention the diversity of content presented on TikTok: tutorial videos (62%⁴), product reviews (39%⁴), personal stories and anecdotes (38%⁴)… and the possibility of putting a face to the person who summarizes and presents the information rather than accessing “impersonal websites⁸”.

TikTok: a real threat to Google?

TikTok as a search engine: potentials and limitations

In 2021, TikTok briefly ousted Google as the most popular domain in the world³.

Searches on TikTok are increasingly varied: recipes (36%⁷), music (35%⁷), DIY tips (34%⁷) and fashion (30%⁷)… and new uses keep appearing, such as using the platform for house visits in the real estate business³.

As an example, Gen Z now uses TikTok to look for restaurants. Around 40% of them⁹ use the platform rather than Google Maps or Google Search. They can get a much better idea⁴ of the atmosphere, type of cuisine, lighting… and even feel the emotion of people who have already tested it.

However, TikTok has certain limitations (limited content moderation, insufficient filtering system, multiplication of sensational videos…) and does not allow users to be “redirected towards other sources of information⁴”. The reason for the latter is to encourage users to stay active on the platform for as long as possible.

Google ousted by TikTok?

Despite the boom in the use of TikTok, Google still holds 90% of the internet³ search market and remains the reference for older generations as 79%⁵ of 55 to 64s use it, 76%⁵ of 35 to 44s and 74%⁵ of those aged between 45 and 54.

The worldwide giant is carrying out « an intense mission » in the online search environment to attract younger users: integration of TikTok videos into search results, launch of “YouTube Shorts”, use of new technologies such as AI³… Nevertheless, these updates might not be enough to provide users with a search experience “as authentic³” as what they can find on TikTok.

These changes to online search habits, and in particular the rise of TikTok, are redistributing the roles in the search engine market and obliging Google to reinvent their methods. These changes also impact businesses and the strategies they implement to perform on the Digital Shelf.

¹ Meier, K. (2024, August 29). Social media is the new search engine. Are you ready ? Sprout Social.
² Lorenz, T. (2023, July 20). Google it ? People now are searching with TikTok or Reddit. washingtonpost.com.
³ For Gen Z, TikTok Is the New Search Engine. (2022, September 16). nytimes.com.
⁴ Haan, K. (2024, May 31). Is social media the new Google ? Gen Z turn to Google 25 % less than Gen X when searching. Forbes Advisor.
⁵ Comarketing-News. (2024, March 15). Parcours d'achat : les réseaux sociaux devancent les sites de marques.
⁶ Tranchard, R. (2024, March 27). Génération Z : Quelles sont leurs habitudes de consommation ? payplug.com.
⁷ Durand, K. (2023, June 13). « Tu me fais visiter ? » : sur les réseaux sociaux, l'immobilier fascine les internautes. Le Figaro.
⁸ Sentance, R. (2024, January 9). Are 40 % of Gen Z shunning Google for TikTok ? Not exactly. Econsultancy.
⁹ Chini, M. (2024, February 15). TikTok overtakes Google as most popular search engine among Gen Z. The Brussels Times.