Google Exec: We're Losing To TikTok In The Battle For Gen Z

TikTok continues to lead the pack as Gen Z’s go-to app—and even Google is taking notice.

According to a senior Google official, the tech giant’s internal data reveals that nearly 40% of Gen Zers prefer TikTok and Instagram over Google for searching. Google also isn’t the only Alphabet Inc. property TikTok is challenging. In addition to emerging as a major competitor to Google’s core Search product, TikTok is also gaining on YouTube, with projections suggesting the short-form video app will surpass it in ad revenue by as early as 2024, according to research firm Insider Intelligence.

Google Senior Vice President Prabhakar Raghavan first disclosed that TikTok and Instagram have been making headway among Google’s young users Tuesday at the Fortune Brainstorm Tech conference. "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," Raghavan said. Google confirmed to TechCrunch that Raghavan’s comments stemmed from an internal survey of U.S. users aged 18 to 24.

TikTok is the fastest-growing social media app, with the greatest appeal for Gen Z audiences. As a result of TikTok’s widespread popularity, Instagram and Snapchat have launched imitation offerings like Reels and Spotlight in an attempt to keep up.

Google is also trying to maintain its foothold by gearing its search features to younger users, including working on a function that would allow users to hover their camera over a “wider scene”and receive information about the objects in that area.