Google loses position as search hegemon to TikTok

According to Google's internal data first reported by TechCrunch, nearly 40 percent of Gen Z prefers searching on TikTok and Instagram over Google Search and Maps. 

TikTok, the fastest-growing social media app, has exploded in popularity over the past few years — so much so that it inspired social media competitors Instagram and Snapchat to roll out copycat video features in Reels and Spotlight. 

A Google executive has confirmed that TikTok's format is changing how young people conduct internet searches, and Google is working to keep up. Google confirmed this statistic to Insider, saying, "we face robust competition from an array of sources, including general and specialized search engines, as well as dedicated apps." 

Google highlighted changes it plans to make to its search engine to appeal to a younger audience, including the ability for a user to pan their camera over an area and "instantly glean insights about multiple objects in a wider scene." 

Insider has previously reported about the threat TikTok poses to YouTube, which Google's parent company, Alphabet, also owns. Insider Intelligence predicts TikTok's advertising revenue will overtake YouTube by 2024. 

(WBJ)