TikTok has been an absolute game changer in the tech industry, forcing certain better established and older companies to readjust to the new normal that it created. One of the most surprising trends that it started was the shift away from search engines like Google. Gen Z users of TikTok often turn to it for the purposes of conducting searches, and it turns out that TikTok is doubling down on this type of usage with a recent update.
64% of Gen Z have said that they use TikTok as a search engine, and as a result of the fact that this is the case, TikTok has introduced a new shortcut for the search function that can be added to your home screen. The new shortcut could be revolutionary because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up increasing TikTok’s appeal as a way to search for things you want to find out about.
Screenshot: Girlpowermarketing/Threads via Josh Hohman/LinkedIn
With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that Google has acknowledged the threat that TikTok poses to their search engine business model. While the Chinese owned social media and video streaming platform still has an extremely long way to go, the new shortcut is definitely a step in the right direction.
The Chinese version of TikTok already gives users the option to search for local restaurants and businesses, and the foreign version may be looking to offer something similar. Users can tap on the shortcut to search for any and all content that they are interested in at this current point in time. It might not be long before this search functionality extends beyond the app and potentially supplants Google’s dominance in this space.
Douyin has also experimented with AI assisted search, so expect to see more of that moving forward as well. The fight between Google and TikTok is only getting started, and it might be the defining tech struggle for the current decade and possibly even beyond. TikTok’s attempts at diversification are a core aspect of it moving beyond being just an entertainment app.
Read next: Google's New Web Results Section Might Bring the Old SERP Back
64% of Gen Z have said that they use TikTok as a search engine, and as a result of the fact that this is the case, TikTok has introduced a new shortcut for the search function that can be added to your home screen. The new shortcut could be revolutionary because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up increasing TikTok’s appeal as a way to search for things you want to find out about.
With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that Google has acknowledged the threat that TikTok poses to their search engine business model. While the Chinese owned social media and video streaming platform still has an extremely long way to go, the new shortcut is definitely a step in the right direction.
The Chinese version of TikTok already gives users the option to search for local restaurants and businesses, and the foreign version may be looking to offer something similar. Users can tap on the shortcut to search for any and all content that they are interested in at this current point in time. It might not be long before this search functionality extends beyond the app and potentially supplants Google’s dominance in this space.
Douyin has also experimented with AI assisted search, so expect to see more of that moving forward as well. The fight between Google and TikTok is only getting started, and it might be the defining tech struggle for the current decade and possibly even beyond. TikTok’s attempts at diversification are a core aspect of it moving beyond being just an entertainment app.
Read next: Google's New Web Results Section Might Bring the Old SERP Back
