Google Search still reigns for finding local services, while TikTok leads the discovery of gift ideas, hair and makeup, and well-being.
While it likely comes as no surprise that younger audiences are far more likely than older groups to use social platforms for product discovery, it is interesting to know what people are searching for, specifically within social platforms, and what they still turn to Google for when in need.
That’s what the Forbes Advisor team sought in their latest study, for which they partnered with Talker Research to survey 2,000 U.S. internet users to get their insights into their evolving discovery behaviors.
The main finding is that young people increasingly use social apps, TikTok and Instagram in particular, for business discovery purposes.
Again, that’s not surprising, with even Google highlighting the shift to TikTok and IG for search as a potential threat to its business.
The question is, “What does generative AI do for this trend?”
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Google recently added ChatGPT-like responses within Search, which provide automated overviews of certain queries. If conversational search like this becomes a bigger shift, as many expect, will that bring more people back to Google?
Along the same line, TikTok’s experimenting with its own AI chatbot, while Meta’s added its AI assistant tool to all of its apps (except Threads). So they are looking to provide similar options, and it’ll be interesting to see how discovery changes, or not, as a result of these advancing AI tools.
However, Forbes Advisor’s study also examines what people search for in social apps versus Google search.
As you can see in this chart, Gen Z users are primarily turning to social apps for fashion, beauty, food, and craft-related trends—more the type of stuff that’s about self-care and well-being and D.I.Y. projects. They also turn to Google for bigger purchases, places to go, and professional services.
That’s not a big surprise either, but it is interesting to consider where people are looking and how that relates to your marketing efforts.
So, the first point is that it largely comes down to the audience you’re trying to reach. If you’re looking to connect with older audiences, then Google remains a critical pipeline, and it’s worth considering the wording you use for this audience.
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However, many young people search on social media, which could help guide their creativity and alignment with each platform.
So, while it may feel relatively obvious based on broader trends, it is worth taking note of the specifics and how they relate to your promotions.
