Is TikTok the new Google ??

We all know about TikTok and how a tonne of trends originate from the app, right? ?? ♀?

From using foundation dipped in water to the infamous dances, TikTok might be a young a platform in the grand scheme of things, but it’s certainly progressed quicker than any other social media app has! ??

According to Google, SVP Prabhakar Raghavan conducted their own research which shows that, "40% of young people, when looking for a place for lunch, go first to TikTok or Instagram over Google Maps or Search.” ??

Now this statement is a really heavy claim! ??

And in most cases, it’s true. ????

When someone mentions a hot-and-happening restaurant, we often whip out our phones and immediately go to the Instagram search bar, type in the name of the place, and hit ‘Search.’ ??

But back in the day, we used to do the same, except it was on Google! ??

Here’s why we think TikTok might just become THE new search engine. ??

TikTok recently released an update where anyone can now post up to 2,200 characters in a video’s description. ???

Whereas just before that, the description was cut off at only 150 characters.???

Seems like a massive change, right?

Well, it is!?

TikTok can now better index its search results, the implications of which are MASSIVE! They can even generate an entirely new ad revenue stream, simply through this. In fact, the same is already taking place on Douyin, the video-based platform that is the Chinese equivalent of TikTok.?

According to a blog post from a16z:

“???? ????????????, ?????????? ?????? ???????? ???????????????????? ??????????-???????? ?????????? ???????????? ?????? ??????????, ???????????? ?????? ?????????? ???????????? ???????? ?????? ?????????? ???? ???????????? ?????? ?????????? ??????????????????, ?????? ?????????????? ???? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ???? ????-?????? ?????????? ?????????? ???????? ?????? ???????? ?????????????????? ???? ?????????? ???????????????? ?????????????? ???? ?????????????? ????????????????. ??????????????????????????, ?????????? ??????, ?????? ?????????? ?????????? ???? ???? ?????? ???? ???????????? ???????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???? ?????????????? ?? ?????????? ???????????????? ???????????? ?????? ??????. ??????????, ?????? ???????? ???????? ???? ???????????? ???? ?????????????????? ?????????? ???? ?????? ???????????????? ???????????????? ???????? ?????? ?????????????????????? ???? ????????; ???????? ?????????? ?????????? 10-20% ?????? ???????????? ?????????? (?????? ?????????????????? ???? ???????? ???? 40%!)”

Douyin has already begun capitalizing on this new search-engine quality that social media has captured.???

It’s shown massive potential for TikTok to take away some of Google’s market share! And it also provides for a new pathway into generating revenue, that’s bigger than just video ads. ??

What do you think about this? Let us know in the comments! ??