Gen Z: Forget Google, search on TikTok or You Tube

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Gen Z is turning toward social media as a search engine, seeking quick, relatable answers amid dissatisfaction with Google’s results.

Young internet users’ behavior marks a clear departure from that of millennials, who came of age in a golden era of online search and take pride in their “Google-fu,” the art of searching like a pro.

It’s also a headache for Google, a nearly $2 trillion company that’s still heavily reliant on ad revenue tied to search results.

46% of those ages 18-24 start their information quests by searching on Google, per data shared exclusively with Axios from YPulse, a youth research firm.

That’s compared with 58% of those ages 25-39.

21% of 18- to 24-year-olds start with TikTok, while 5% start on YouTube.

Social media platforms have “shifted so much from being a place to connect with friends and family to an information superhighway,” MaryLeigh Bliss, chief content officer for YPulse, tells Axios.

Google is still top overall for initial searches, followed by TikTok and YouTube.

Some users prefer to search on social media to get more authentic answers, especially as Google and others increasingly promote sponsored results.

“You’re getting more information in smaller bites from more, different sources,” says Fred Cook, director of USC’s Annenberg Center for Public Relations.

Gen Zers are also true digital natives, having grown up in the social media era with no memory of Google’s early days.

For news and quick answers, Jordan Alperin, 24, says she heads to Google, but for inspiration and personal stories, she uses social media.

Alperin, an associate creative strategist at Day One Agency, a communications firm, says she has gravitated to social media more lately compared to traditional search engines. Reddit and TikTok have been her go-tos.

“Content feels more relatable on these platforms and their comment replies fuel trust as people share niche experiences and perspectives,” she said by email.

“People have many choices when it comes to accessing information,” a Google spokesperson said.