TikTok versus Google as search engine? According to Prabhakar Raghavan, Google's Senior Vice President (responsible for Google Search), online search behavior is changing. During a Tech conference in 2020, he spoke about the new generation of internet users; 40% of them are the first to use TikTok or Instagram to look up something online.
Google has been the search engine for 15 years, with a market share of up to 92%. Before Google, Altavista was the most used search engine. The difference between Google and Altavista is that Altavista worked as a kind of library, where the search had to be as concrete as possible to find the desired result. Google's method is that queries are answered based on both SEO as link building. This makes online searching more efficient than ever before.
In 2018, the Chinese company will release Bytedance TikTok out. An app that focuses entirely on short form video content. By posting short videos, users share different types of content with each other. For example, there is entertaining, informative and educational content on almost any topic. What makes TikTok so different from other social media platforms is that TikTok has a very sharp algorithm. They use the same SEO principles as Google, they do this by artificial intelligence algorithms to deploy. The AI recognizes text in the videos and shows it to others who search for these words more often or interact with content containing that text. And when someone is mentioned, “duped,” or attached, this video is promoted. This system is somewhat like link building.
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But why should people choose the TikTok search bar over Google Search? After all, the whole function of Google Search is that the search engine creates a clear collection of all possible leads you might want to view. There are several reasons why young people prefer the fast content on the Chinese app over text-driven Google. I briefly explain what these reasons are below.
Out research it appears that the attention span of young people is getting shorter. There is still too little research available to determine whether short form content apps such as TikTok and Instagram are specifically the cause of this. However, it can be assumed that they will at least maintain this. For searches, this means: the easier, the better. In addition, TikTok has visually stimulating content, where Google mainly shows text-driven content. Recently, Google started promoting TikToks and Instagram Reels. In addition, they have the shopping function, where users can view images.
Almost everyone recognizes this: you search for something on Google and the first 2 or 3 links are ads. In addition to SEO, Google uses: SEA: paid search results. On Google, you therefore have to make more effort as a user to filter. Ads are regularly seen as something negative, partly because users crave sincerity and honesty. On TikTok, filtering is done by putting the best-performing content at the top. This ensures that content is pushed up in a kind of democratic way.
Thanks to TikTok's strong algorithm, the content shown fits the user well. Google has also been using this for years by analyzing what you search for and click on. This way, they can provide more relevant results. And what Google excels at, on the other hand, is that the user's location plays a role in the results shown. TikTok does not have this feature, so when you search for a location-sensitive search, the location must be very specific in the search.
In recent months, TikTok has expanded the search function on the platform by showing AI-generated search suggestions in the search bar. This search suggestion updates per video, so you can use the search bar super fast and easy. In turn, these suggestions are based on your viewing behavior and interaction with other content. Commonly used words in the comments are also made clickable. By clicking on this, you will be taken directly to all search results and you won't even have to type yourself.
Information on TikTok is difficult to verify, which causes the rapid spread of fake news and untruths. Google has a higher level of reliability because there is more room for substantiation. In addition, there is a chance that you will be in a filter bubble ends up a lot smaller than on TikTok. At the same time, the most distinguishing feature of TikTok is a danger. The popular app's algorithm is so concrete and specific that you, as a user, get stuck in what you want to see for yourself. This can cause a distorted view of reality
But should Google really be afraid of TikTok? There is little chance that the platform will actually take Google's place in society. It is more likely that it will remain an addition to the easy and visual search tool it is today.
But TikTok will undoubtedly continue to develop and expand, so there are content marketing opportunities for organizations.
