Ever since TikTok disrupted the social media scene, marketeers have argued over the platform’s existence as a search engine. While it is undoubtedly all conquering when it comes to content creation and video sharing, TikTok’s ability to operate as a search engine is a little more ambiguous and opinion dividing.
To some, it’s a video sharing platform that should be treated similar to YouTube and Instagram. But the fact that younger users are turning to Tik-Tok before Google to answer queries proves that there’s certainly a conversation to be had.
The Traditional Role of Search Engines
When people think of search engines, they generally think of websites like Google and Bing that retrieve information based on the words, phrases or questions that users type in. Ever since the late 90s when Google was first launched, businesses have tried to improve their visibility in search engine results.
While algorithms have become more advanced and complex, the landscape hasn’t necessarily been disrupted. Google has a stronghold on the industry and advances in technology have supported search engines rather than threatening to replace them.
The arrival and rising popularity of Tik-Tok has threatened Google’s reputation as the go-to place for search.
How TikTok Is Being Used for Search
It’s important to first understand how Tik Tok is being used. As a video sharing platform, it’s easy to see why users would turn to Tik Tok before Google for certain queries. Essentially, any query that can be answered with a video is well suited to Tik Tok’s search feature.
For example, a user searching for the best restaurant in London may benefit from a video that explains the best restaurants rather than just a blog post or a set of results on a search engine results page (SERP).
Searching for ‘the best restaurants in London’ on Tik Tok will bring up a collection of videos that show dishes, reviews and videos of the interior decor in certain restaurants. This gives the user a clearer picture and arguably delivers a more beneficial set of results.
Features That Make TikTok Similar to a Search Engine
TikTok isn’t the first platform to possess a search feature, so why is there so much discussion about Tik Tok’s ability to rival Google search?
There are a number of similarities between Tik Tok and search engines. Firstly, incorporating keywords into content and captions is similar to how keywords are used in meta titles, descriptions and landing pages.
There’s also the obvious similarity that users are discovering content based on an algorithm. The main difference here is that Tik-Tok heavily takes into account a user’s past engagements and interactions whereas Google is based on a whole host of factors including backlinks, site speed, keyword optimisation and mobile UX.
The Advantages of TikTok as a Search Tool
We briefly touched on the benefits of video-shaped search results earlier but it’s worth diving deeper into why so many people are using Tik Tok as a tool for search. As results come in video format, they’re far more engaging than being met with a list of websites. As mentioned earlier, for searches around items such as food, this can be far more beneficial to the user.
There’s also the fact that many Tik-Tok results come in the form of user generated content. This type of content comes from real people who haven’t been paid to upload their video and have no reason to offer an unbiased view.
In comparison to Google results, sites that are ranking high on SERPs may be due to a workforce being highly skilled in SEO and understanding the algorithm better than competitors. In summary, the top ranking results on search engines aren’t always there because they’re the best result.
As a social media platform, Tik-Tok’s results are far more likely to change, update and improve. On the other hand, a search engine’s results are more stable as they factor in website size. As a result, it would be very hard for a new business or website to disrupt big businesses that have been around for a number of years.
The Limitations of TikTok as a Search Engine
While Tik Tok has many advantages over traditional search engines, there are a few areas where it falls short. It can be hard to verify the legitimacy of claims on Tik Tok, and it may be better to use search engines like Google if your search is based around areas like health, legality or finance due to the integration of Google reviews.
Also, while TikTok’s ability to keep up with the times has been proposed as an advantage, it’s worth considering that being trend focused can also be a limitation of the platform. Consider searches around events in history; Google could return an article written 25 years ago in a matter of seconds whereas Tik Tok wouldn’t have this capability.
Finally, there’s the point that some search queries are better suited to websites as a result as opposed to short-form videos. For example, if a user is looking for SEO in Manchester, it would probably be more beneficial for them to see a list of websites belonging to the top SEO agencies in Manchester instead of a collection of videos.
Read More: Alternative Strategies to Increase TikTok Engagement Organically
Final Thoughts
It’s fair to say that it doesn’t have to be a case of one or the other when it comes to Tik Tok or Google. Both are different tools with different advantages and they can serve different purposes to businesses. As already outlined in the article, there are some cases when a website is a more appropriate result than a video. Other features such as Google reviews and Google business profiles also make Google the better option if a user is searching for things such as business recommendations.
On the other hand, it could be argued that Tik Tok is more appropriate when searching for unbiased results. Any query that includes the word ‘best’ is usually well suited to Tik Tok as results return reviews from content creators instead of businesses.
Going forward, it’s worth considering how the two platforms could work together. For example, it’s possible for Tik Tok videos to appear in Google’s results. So while Tik Tok is not a conventional search engine, it’s definitely changing the way we search and moving the goalposts for businesses.