Younger generations of customers are turning to TikTok for searches with videos and images, and Google is adapting.
I once wrote that when it comes to search engine optimization, choosing where your keywords go in your content feels like arranging furniture in your home. With TikTok becoming more of a search launch point of choice for a new generation of customers, the home of search engine queries is about to be instantly changed.
To counter the growing search power of TikTok, Google is introducing new features in its search app, Google Lens. These new features are intended to account for images and video in search and brand discovery online. Marketers should use these platform adoptions to note how consumers are adopting image and video in their online search.
The Latest Updates in Google Lens
At Search I/0 this fall, Google noted that 8 billion users use Lens as a starting point for their search queries. To match the growing interest, Google announced a series of updates to improve product image queries with more relevant additional information.
The most prominent of these is the Mulitsearch Near Me feature for Lens, a visual search engine that can analyze images and return relevant results for images such as products in locations near landmarks. Consumers can search by snapping an image or screenshot and then use Lens to search. With Multisearch Near Me, Lens can add a text query to the search. Once the request is sent, Google will return links to websites or other image suggestions that are relevant to the image. This can help improve a query for an item that a consumer knows visually, but does not have the precise description, such as the brand or model number. It can also reduce the number of inquiries required to find a nearby store, increasing convenience for the customer and for the business.
Released in 2017, Google Lens has seen several updates over the years, integrating it with other Google solutions connected to Android smartphones such as Google Assistant and Google Photos apps. But this latest lens update has strategic significance as Google recognizes an emerging customer behavior. Google found in its research that 40% of Generation Z consumers like to use social media to search for products. Consumers look for a visual representation of what they want.
The Lens Multisearch feature complements the current customer experience for mobile, especially for Generation Z customers. It corresponds to how customers point to a real-life item, be it a picture or video, and ask a question about it in real time.
This behavior encourages customers to skip traditional search platforms, including aids such as Google Maps. In fact, Google is adding real-world immersion features to Google Maps to improve its use when customers are searching for businesses and services.
Related Article: Google Useful Content Update Improves Customer Experience and SEO Strategy
Google Confirms the Big Picture of Where Search Is Heading
The Google Lens update does not imply that image queries will replace keyword queries overnight. Image queries reflect how people consider more options than a traditional search engine — a mainstay of the Internet. The expansion of search engines has for some time led to different query types, all in gradual measures. Amazon, for example, attracted customers looking for specific products, and became a kind of search engine as well as an ecommerce juggernaut. But in this case, the customers already had an awareness of the product before they did a search on Amazon, so it is not for discovery as it would be for a Google search. In addition, they receive lists dedicated to Amazon or its partner merchants instead of results that may include new sites or broader sets of information from public sources.
The way SEO works is as well known to marketers as a favorite bedtime story is to a child. When someone searches for a topic in a search engine, be it Bing or Google, the search engine gets the best online content it can find by crawling HTML documents and links from websites and online apps. The search engines interpret categories for your content by examining the content key phrases, the structure of the content and comparing them through the algorithm. Doing this tells them what the websites are about. The best website choices with well optimized keywords, links and content are returned among the search results.
For years, marketers have considered SEO and social media strategies side by side to establish an online presence that improves the customer experience. Social media has long been a factor in search query results. Profile activity from Pinterest, YouTube and Twitter can all appear in a search engine results page. All this ability reinforces the popularity of Google among marketers and the dominant market share as a search engine.
Related Article: 7 Tips for Choosing the Right SEO Agency
The Rise of TikTok as a Search Competitor
But emerging consumer behavior on TikTok presents another aspect of the yin and yang of social media and SEO. People rely on TikTok for more general information than product searches on Amazon.
A trend for alternative search sources has grown steadily over the years since Google became the search engine of choice. These search alternatives reflect nuanced queries for specific items. Amazon for example has become a standard search engine for products. But many consumers were already aware of the product and were just looking for the best price on that product according to Amazon’s secondary market for products. Pinterest also became a sort of search engine but there people were looking for specific images for topics such as crochet, fashion or other special interests. And YouTube has long been considered the second largest search engine behind Google.
But TikTok poses a more significant threat to Google’s search dominance because of its generational understanding of the online behavior of Gen Zers and Millennials. These people may seem like they just dance, but they do a lot more than that. They search and discover services through TikTok.
It sounds surprising, but think about how long search engines have been around in general. Twenty years may not be a long time historically, but from a digital tech perspective it can be a very different era. That difference creates the opportunity.
TikTok raises expectations for online search, but some significant issues exist. There are many martech tools that verify search volume on Google. There are no third-party tools on TikTok – at least, not yet. The lack of verification hinders the planning of content features for consumer discovery.
Another aspect to consider – TikTok is increasingly criticized for privacy concerns. TechCrunch reported that Ireland’s Data Protection Commission is investigating TikTok for potential General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) violations regarding data transfers to China. Data transfers trigger questions about customer data rights – do they know? Is there permission to store data for a specific purpose. TikTok has revealed for the first time that the Chinese government is among its partners who have access to user profile data. Marketers need to be more diligent in examining the issues platforms face with regards to data.
Related Article: The Evolution of Web AnalyticsThe Evolution of Web Analytics
What Should Marketers Do Now to Future-Proof Their SEO?
Remember that all the latest SEO news does not imply that you should rush into an SEO strategy this second. Reactions to SEO tend to be smaller evolutionary steps rather than big overnight changes. SEO changes in the market are similar to introducing a new feature on car platforms. Car owners did not immediately replace their car with a new one because new models had the latest safety features or wireless phone chargers. It took years for vehicles with the new features to spread the market and change customer behavior permanently. Marketers will likely experience the same kind of evolution in using video and text to boost search engine strategy.
Marketers must take advantage of evolutionary changes like Google Lens to integrate site updates that are appropriate for the discoveries customers make online. Customers use clear visual cues to discover products, services and businesses. Thus, these discoveries are part of today’s customer experience. The tactics for developing these changes in a search strategy are part of a bigger picture of providing helpful content (see my post for more on Google’s Helpful Content Update).
So when looking at your brand’s SEO tactics, start by considering the context that your images and videos can bring, and plan to develop the strategy. This context can change keyword and phrase choices to bring customers to your landing pages, websites and online apps.
But for Generation Z, the video app is also increasingly a search engine. More and more young people are using TikTok’s powerful algorithm – which customizes the videos shown to them based on their interactions with the content – to find information that is incredibly tailored to their tastes.
Is TikTok searchable?
1. Tap Discover, at the bottom of your screen. 2. Use the search bar above to find specific content or explore trending videos, hashtags, creators and sponsored content below.
Do people use TikTok as a search engine? TikTok is known for its viral dance videos and pop music. But for Generation Z, the video app is also increasingly a search engine.
How do I make my TikTok searchable?
Tips to make TikTok and Instagram content more visible
- Use relevant hashtags.
- Add descriptive alt text.
- Focus on keyword descriptions.
- Use trendy songs or sounds.
- Create short, engaging videos.
Why is my TikTok account not showing up for others?
Clear Your TikTok’s Cache Your videos not showing to people may be the result of a temporary error that can be fixed by clearing the app’s cache. Clearing the app’s cache will remove all corrupted data, and you can either clear your cache in the TikTok app or your device settings.
Why is my TikTok account not searchable?
Check your network connection. Another reason why the search bar doesn’t work on TikTok is if your network is running slow. If your connection is unstable, the app cannot retrieve the necessary data to display the search results.
How do I not be searchable on TikTok?
Step 1: Tap on the profile icon in the lower right corner of the screen. Step 2: Tap on the three dots in the upper right corner of the screen. Step 3: Tap on âPrivacy and Security.â Step 4: Tap on the button to the right of âAllow Others to Find Meâ to stop TikTok from suggesting other users to follow you.
Can I be incognito on TikTok?
If incognito mode is still something you want to do, here’s how to turn off your Tiktok watch history: Tap your profile icon in the bottom right of the app on your device. Tap on the icon with three horizontal lines in the upper right corner. Select Settings and Privacy.
Will TikTok ever be gone?
In short, no, there is nothing to suggest that TikTok will shut down in 2022. While some tweets and comments have suggested that the end is near for the video app, ByteDance itself has not issued any statements about future closures.
Will TikTok stay? The rise of ecommerce, the growth of streaming services, and a younger generation spending more time online than ever have all become even more prominent in 2020. One new contender, TikTok, has seen its popularity explode over the past year and it is here to stay.
Will TikTok ever stop being popular?
TikTok is estimated to face a major decline in the coming year 2023, due to a decrease in the average time spent on the app by users. The famous app TikTok was launched from China and is commonly referred to as Douyin in its home place.
Will TikTok be removed?
Image credits: TikTok We’ve been hearing for years how TikTok collects data around the world and presents it to their parent company in China, and potentially from there to the powers that be. But despite renewed calls today from FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr, the popular app is highly unlikely to be banned immediately.
Why will they delete TikTok?
A leader of the US Federal Communications Commission said he asked Apple and Google to remove TikTok from their app stores over data security concerns.
Is TikTok will be deleted in 2022?
A recent report highlighted cases where some users either assumed or falsely claimed that TikTok will close next year (2022). However, there is no concrete evidence to support these claims.
Why are they deleting TikTok?
A leader of the US Federal Communications Commission said he asked Apple and Google to remove TikTok from their app stores over data security concerns.
Why might TikTok get banned?
“It is clear that TikTok poses an unacceptable national security risk due to its extensive data combined with Beijing’s apparently unchecked access to that data,” Carr wrote.
Why is Apple removing TikTok?
An FCC commissioner, Brendan Carr, wrote to Apple and Google on Tuesday, asking the companies to remove TikTok from their app stores for “its pattern of secretive data practices”. China had access to US-based user data until January.
Does TikTok replace Google search?
Almost 40% of Gen Z members prefer TikTok for online search over Google, according to Google’s internal data. “In our studies, something like almost 40% of young people, when they are looking for a place for lunch, they do not go to Google Maps or search.
Is TikTok better than Google? Studies show that Americans trust Google significantly more than TikTok, which was found to be the most distrusted tech giant. The consensus seems to be that TikTok search is more suitable for finding tips, trends, recipes, hobbies and information on less serious topics.
Is TikTok more popular search engine than Google?
Several media sites have reported that TikTok, owned by parent company ByteDance, is now the top search engine for Generation Z, beating Google at its own game.
What’s more popular Google or TikTok?
In 2021, TikTok.com was the most popular domain on the Internet, surpassing Google.com, Facebook.com, Microsoft.com and Apple.com, according to Cloudfare, an Internet hosting provider that also has its own TikTok account.
Does Gen Z use TikTok more than Google?
Younger users are using social platforms instead of search engines, but a study says that a fifth of TikTok results contain false information. Google is unmatched.
Does Gen Z use TikTok more than Google?
Younger users are using social platforms instead of search engines, but a study says that a fifth of TikTok results contain false information. Google is unmatched.
Is TikTok more popular search engine than Google?
Several media sites have reported that TikTok, owned by parent company ByteDance, is now the top search engine for Generation Z, beating Google at its own game.
Is Gen Z using TikTok more than Google? Younger users are using social platforms instead of search engines, but a study says that a fifth of TikTok results contain false information. Google is unmatched.
What’s more popular Google or TikTok?
In 2021, TikTok.com was the most popular domain on the Internet, surpassing Google.com, Facebook.com, Microsoft.com and Apple.com, according to Cloudfare, an Internet hosting provider that also has its own TikTok account.
Is TikTok most popular app?
| App | Downloads (mm) |
|---|---|
| TikTok | 94 |
| 64 | |
| Snapchat | 56 |
| Cash App | 56 |
Is TikTok the biggest search engine?
TikTok’s rise as a discovery tool is part of a broader transformation in digital search. While Google remains the world’s dominant search engine, people turn to Amazon to search for products, Instagram to stay updated on trends and Snapchat’s Snap Maps to find local businesses.
How does TikTok search algorithm work?
The TikTok algorithm takes into account several factors to determine which videos to show users. These factors include user interactions such as video likes, shares, and account follows. It also takes into account the video information such as hashtag, audio, and caption.
How does TikTok determine suggested searches? Recommendations are based on a number of factors, including things like: user interactions like the videos you like or share, accounts you follow, comments you post and content you create.
How does TikTok Fyp algorithm work?
The TikTok algorithm is a complex system designed to serve user content on the app’s homepage – the For You Page (FYP). Much like the Instagram Explore page, the FYP is an endless feed of curated content that the TikTok algorithm thinks you’re interested in.
How does TikTok determine Fyp?
On TikTok, the For You feed reflects preferences unique to each user. The system recommends content by ranking videos based on a combination of factors – starting with interests you express as a new user and adjusting for things you indicate you are not interested in – to form your personalized For You feed.
Does TikTok Fyp have an algorithm?
The For You page, aka “FYP,” is the first page you land on when you open the TikTok app. It’s a curated feed of videos from creators you might not follow, but TikTok’s algorithm thinks you might like based on your interests and past interactions. Several factors contribute to the content you see on the TikTok FYP.
How do I become searchable on TikTok?
Record the video from your camera and not from TikTok: “This is one of the most critical steps when optimizing your videos for search. By renaming your video with a specific keyword or phrase, you are more likely to appear in search results when someone searches for that keyword or phrase.
Why is my TikTok account not searchable?
Check your network connection. Another reason why the search bar doesn’t work on TikTok is if your network is running slow. If your connection is unstable, the app cannot retrieve the necessary data to display the search results.
How do I make my TikTok go public?
To set your account as private or public:
- Tap on Profile at the bottom right.
- Tap the 3-line icon at the top right.
- Tap Settings and Privacy.
- Go to privacy.
- Enable or disable private account. Was that helpful?
How do algorithms work on TikTok?
The TikTok algorithm determines what appears in your âFor Youâ feed. The TikTok formula, based on our research, shows that the videos a user sees in their “For You” feed will change over time based on their viewing preferences and habits.
What does it mean when someone recommends a TikTok?
When you open TikTok and land in your For You feed, you’ll get a stream of videos tailored to your interests, making it easy to find content and creators you love. This feed is powered by a recommendation system that delivers content to each user that is likely to be of interest to that particular user.
How do I get good recommendations on TikTok?
Click on sounds The more the algorithm learns about you, the more you’ll start to notice trends and whatever TikTok rabbit hole you’ve gone down. A lot of the time these trends are built around sounds. The sounds can be audio clips from popular media, music or even audio created by another user.