As social media usage overtakes traditional search, TikTok is fast becoming the go-to platform for discovery—whether it’s finding lunch spots or life hacks. In her latest blog, Planner/Buyer Rosie Bettis explores how TikTok is challenging Google’s dominance and reshaping how we search online.

Users of TikTok will relate to how easy it is to fall into an endless cycle scrolling on the app. This isn’t just the case for TikTok of course, with time spent on social media now exceeding the time watching broadcast TV globally. Over the past year alone, search activity has declined by almost 5%, with the average time on social media continuing to rise, and TikTok coming out on top (Warc Media, We are Social Digital 2023 report).

And the battle between Search and Social for researching online, is ongoing. Turns out even Google themselves see TikTok chasing their coat tails, with the SVP of Search at Google suggesting “something like 40% of young people, when they are looking for a place to lunch, they don’t go to Google maps or Search, they go to TikTok”. The continued growth and scale of the platform means the search opportunities on TikTok are endless. Whether it’s to compare dupe products, learn how to make the perfect flat white, or hacks for getting spilt wine out the carpet, TikTok has space for it all. Now you don’t just Google it, you TikTok it!

As for the benefits of using TikTok as a search engine, there are many;

On TikTok you can find reviews, recommendations, and narrow down your search easily in a number of clicks. You can even use the app’s location features to get to your answer in a matter of seconds, rather than having to surf through links, sponsored ads, and lengthy articles to find what you are looking for.

The reason why short-form content continues to challenge long-form like YouTube is that it caters to our ever decreasing attention span. Research shows that the attention span of the average daily social media user averages at 8.25 seconds, shorter than that of a goldfish. TikTok caters to this by circulating short, highly stimulating content which successfully keeps users within the app during their search.

Accounts which gain traction on TikTok usually become popular because they embody that sense of discovery and authenticity. Users search the app with an open mind, looking to learn from other humans. It’s not just centred around celebrities with millions of followers, but rather the influence that an ordinary person can have, just by showing you their home workout or midweek dinner. Historically, we’ve known this kind of storytelling through word of mouth, and TikTok is essentially this but at scale. It lends itself to the fact that people would rather take recommendations or learn something new from someone like them, not just shopping widgets, google services & creators with a blue tick.

Ultimately its biggest benefit is, it’s fun to use! That’s the reason that getting stuck in the TikTok hole is so easily done. It’s a visually engaging and exciting way to digest new information. Searching for something on TikTok is far more likely to leave you feeling inspired, excited and motivated because of its storytelling capabilities, and likelihood to show you something more than what you initially asked for. Whether that’s travel destinations, recipe inspiration or more educational insight into what is happening in the world. It’s clear that video short form content gives a context that Google Search and text alone just can’t capture.

Google’s legacy as a reputable search engine will always make it a better channel for real-time insights like finding out the weather. On that basis, it’s unlikely that TikTok will ever replace Google as a certified search engine. But, platforms like YouTube, Trip Advisor and Instagram where users actively search for recommendations and are looking to learn, will certainly continue to be threatened by the rise of TikTok.