Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b6/Tiktok_logo_text.svg/640px-Tiktok_logo_text.svg.png

Google Search Loosing Ground to TikTok, what does this mean for Google

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

Google senior vice president Prabhakar Raghavan told the Fortune Brainstorm Tech conference that according to Google's internal studies, "something like almost 40% of young people when they're looking for a place for lunch, they don't go to Google Maps or Search, they go to TikTok or Instagram."

Search is not the only Google cash cow that is being devoured by TikTok, it's also having significant impact on ad revenue generated by YouTube. YouTube and Google are both owned by Alphabet. Insider has predicted that TikTok's advertising revenue will overtake YouTube by 2024. 

Google has also confirmed this to Insider, stating that, "we face robust competition from an array of sources, including general and specialized search engines, as well as dedicated apps." 

Google, of course, is not resting on its laurels and letting TikTok eat its lunch. Google has plans to change 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." 

Other social media apps are also taking action, for instance, Instagram and Snapchat to roll out copycat video features in Reels and Spotlight. TikTok is facing challenges from the US Government, where FCC commissioner has asked Google and Apple executives to remove the app from their respective stores, citing security concerns. With these new statistics coming to the front, is it even possible?