TikTok dethrones Google as the new search engine?

• TikTok surpassed Google as the most visited domain worldwide in 2021.
• Some of the popular content from TikTok includes how-to videos, recipes, and beauty advice – which is in line with what Google, YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram can offer.

Is TikTok the new Google search? Well, it certainly seems that way, for Gen Zs at least.

Gone are the days when Google was the go-to place for information we’re looking for. For more than 20 years, Google has been the standard in the internet community, and for good reason. The industry-leading search engine has completely changed how we look for information, and millions of people still utilize its tools and services on a daily basis.

Due to its sheer size, Google has always been one of the most widely used search engines on the planet and is able to index a huge amount of content. Additionally, they are renowned for having a user-friendly interface that makes it easy to locate what you’re seeking for swiftly.

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However, since TikTok entered the market, the tide has begun to turn. TikTok surpassed Google as the most visited domain worldwide in 2021, according to Cloudflare.

When TikTok enters the scene as the “new Google search”

Given that TikTok is the fastest-growing social media network with the most global downloads and has amassed one billion active users in just 4.9 years, this shouldn’t come as a surprise. Comparatively, it took Facebook 8.7 years to reach one billion users, commonly known as the king of social media. Only Facebook Messenger, and even then, only narrowly, reached the one billion-user milestone quicker, in 4.9 years.

Despite concerns over privacy issues, that have since and continued to be addressed, the success of TikTok obviously demonstrates how technology is evolving, but more importantly, it demonstrates how habits of gathering and consuming information about the world has changed.

Teenagers prefer using TikTok over Instagram or Snapchat. Despite this, TikTok isn’t just videos of memes or young people dancing, despite what many thought it was. Some of the popular content includes how-to videos, recipes, and beauty advice – which is in line with what Google, YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram can offer.

Additionally, it implies that TikTok is being used for knowledge rather than just entertainment. Actually, there are educational uses for TikTok. Many teachers have started to shorten their school lessons using TikTok. This enables students to review lessons they might have missed in class or if they need a refresher, whether they are being taught in science, English, math, or even physical education.

Since the site initially only allowed up to 60 seconds for each video, teachers were compelled to focus on communicating their important points. A 3-minute video function has now been added by TikTok for creators. Consequently, it will be possible for teachers to include even more content in their digital microlessons.

There are numerous approaches one can go about this. Even better, one can create a TikTok to give productivity or course-related advice, or to remind students of deadlines or significant events.

For enterprises, some companies have starting using the app for onboarding services or even when making important company announcements. TikTok for Business has also been increasingly in demand with more businesses realizing the potential that can be delivered through the app.

Although the information shared on TikTok isn’t always accurate, it has been claimed that the platform has allowed users to look up things like restaurant recommendations, vacation spots, and tips for packing up before a flight.

Similar to how YouTube came to be, TikTok has given professionals in a variety of fields a platform to share knowledge that was previously gatekept or wasn’t always simple to obtain. These professionals include academics, healthcare workers, lawyers, contractors, and more.

No matter how educational TikTok may be given the rising audience of users that rely on the platform, similar to how Google is, users should always be prepared to be more cautious of the information they are consuming and vet sources. This is not to argue that everything someone says is false, but it is a good idea to constantly conduct more research based on the knowledge you have gained online.

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