TikTok to Test Integration with Google Search
TikTok and Instagram have become popular platforms for young people to search for content, which is traditionally done on Google Search or Google Maps. Despite not having official confirmation, TikTok’s popularity among young people cannot be underestimated, as it poses a potential threat to Google’s flagship products. Last year, Prabhakar Raghavan, Senior Vice President at Google, mentioned the growing influence of TikTok and Instagram on the younger generation.
A recent survey conducted in the United States among users aged 18 to 24 revealed that nearly 40% of young people turn to TikTok or Instagram instead of Google Maps or Google Search when looking for a place to eat. This information has prompted TikTok to explore the idea of collaborating with Google rather than developing its own search engine.
TikTok’s Integration with Google Search
Although there is no official information regarding this integration, a post shared by Matt Navara on X revealed that TikTok is currently testing Google search results integration on its search tab. The post highlighted the surprising fact that TikTok has become a search engine of choice for Gen Z.
TikTok now displays a shortcut for Google search?! Surprisingly, TikTok has become a search engine of choice for Gen Z
peak.twitter.com/9t7aUo6FtF
— Matt Navarra (@MattNvarra) September 19, 2023
Will Google Sign a New Agreement?
Although there is no official confirmation from Google or TikTok regarding the integration test, it would make sense for Google to position its search engine where users need it. Google has previously paid significant amounts to organizations like Apple or Mozilla to become the default search engine in their browsers. However, Google is currently facing legal action from the US government regarding these agreements.
On the other hand, Google has successfully countered the threat posed by TikTok to its video-sharing platform, YouTube. YouTube Shorts, which offers a similar format to TikTok with short, vertically scrolling videos, has gained immense popularity. It now has over 2 billion monthly users, and its success has led to concerns that it may overshadow YouTube’s main format of long-form videos.
