TikTok has become more than just a place to dance with lip syncs and funny videos. It has transformed into a full-blown search engine, giving Google a run for its money. Young people are flocking to the platform to search for all sorts of things, from recipes to vacation spots, and even news and information.
“It’s not, like, a true search-engine opportunity yet,” says Sonya Ali, a media director at RPA. But with TikTok’s powerful algorithm that tailors content to the user’s interests, it’s easy to see why young people are turning to the platform as a search destination.
Gone are the days when you had to scour the library for hours to complete an assignment. Generation Z grew up with technology and the Internet, and as a result, have developed social and visual learning skills. They want information fast and TikTok delivers, with its 10-second videos providing quick and concise information. In fact, research shows that Gen Z’s attention span is only 8 seconds, making TikTok’s short video format all the more appealing.
TikTok has already become a prominent source of news and information, with a UK-based survey last year naming it the fastest-growing source of news for adults. TikTok is well aware of its influence, as seen in its recent 60-second ad where a father and daughter turn to TikTok for cleaning tips and home decorating hacks. The ad ends with the tagline “Search it with TikTok,” emphasizing the platform’s growing role as a search engine.
Advertisers have yet to fully embrace TikTok’s search inventory, with the platform’s search ads still in beta and the targeting options not as granular as traditional search inventory. But TikTok is making moves to monetize its search behavior and many businesses will have to understand TikTok marketing if they want to stay relevant in this rapidly growing industry.
So the next time you’re searching for the best Whole30 recipes or trying to plan a trip to Portugal, you might want to “Search it with TikTok.” Who knows, you might even discover something new and exciting that Google could never have shown you. TikTok is proving to be a true disruptor in the search game and it’s only a matter of time before it completely changes the game.
