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Is TikTok the New Google?
New data shows that TikTok is fast becoming Generation Z's go-to search engine – but will the platform's success last?
Is TikTok the New Google?
For decades, Google has been our trusty online encyclopaedia. There isn’t much it doesn’t know, and thanks to deep learning and artificial intelligence, it’s getting smarter and more capable by the day. The search engine’s global recognition earnt it verb-status in 2006 after The Oxford English Dictionary defined ‘Googling’ as the act of searching for information on the internet. More than twenty-five years after its inception, it’s difficult to imagine a world without it, or where another platform could possibly trump it.
But data from market researcher, Savanta shows that Google may well be on the verge of losing its spot as one of the UK’s top three search engines, owing to a shift in behaviour between older generations and generation Z.
Statistics from Savanta’s daily brand tracking tool, BrandVue shows that when it comes to Gen-Z’s usage, the search engine has slipped into 4th position on its Media Brands League Table. It has, however, retained its position in the top three amongst millennials, generation X and baby boomers.
There's no doubt about it: digital advancements have had a remarkable impact on the youth of today. Gen-Z are the first “digital natives”, characterised by their emotional attachment to digital devices, social networking and instant messaging. Close followers of trends, they are avid researchers, using their mobile phones as a gateway to information.
But if that’s the case then why are they turning their backs on the world’s favourite search engine?
The simple answer is that generation Z are visual learners, having grown up in world dominated by screens.
Video-based applications such as YouTube and TikTok have made it easier than ever for individuals to source information in a fast and engaging way. As such, they have become centres for education. Users are able to share and access knowledge, opinions and advice simply by opening the apps, with content covering just about everything from dating tips and ‘did you know?’ videos, to restaurant reviews and tutorials.
But perhaps what separates TikTok from other platforms of its kind is that it’s valued amongst Gen-Z for its sense of community, which can be attributed to its sharp rise in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is built on user connection; a quality which Google is yet to capitalise on.
How will this change the way future generations learn and access knowledge? Only time will tell.
Tagged google, tiktok, youtube, generation z, marketing, advertising, digital, search engine, AI, deep learning