Could TikTok actually displace Google as a rival in the market for web search and discovery?
Google does consider this to be a concern, according to Senior Vice President Prabhakar Raghavan. He noted that:
“In our studies, something like almost 40% 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.”
Google reports that his remarks were supported by internal analysis that included a poll of 18 to 24 year old American consumers.
If TikTok and Instagram start to cut into web search, that may have significant ramifications for marketers trying to engage younger audiences and increase their chances of being discovered.
TikTok recently started experimenting with connected keywords in comments and video descriptions to help users discover new content by tying them to bigger trends.
