PARIS, Jan 24 — TikTok has shaken up the habits of Generation Z. Two-thirds have already used the platform as a search engine, and almost one in ten now prefer the Chinese social network to Google for searches.

And it turns out that Gen Zers are most often turning to TikTok for cooking recipes, new music, DIY tips or fashion advice.

The digital age has seen the emergence of many tools and platforms, but it’s TikTok that seems to be winning the favour of Generation Z when it comes to finding information.

According to recent research from Adobe, surveying 808 US consumers, the Chinese social network is gaining ground as an information source.

More than four in ten respondents have already used TikTok as a search engine. This trend is more pronounced among younger people: 64 per cent of Gen Zers and 49 per cent of Millennials have used TikTok, compared to 29 per cent of Gen Xers and 14 per cent of Baby Boomers.

Some 10 per cent of Gen Zers are even more likely to use TikTok than Google as a search engine. Separate research by Her Campus Media previously demonstrated the popularity of TikTok as a search engine among young people last fall.

Traditionally dominated by search engines like Google, the information landscape is now influenced by social networks and video content platforms. TikTok, known for its vibrant and engaging format, offers a different user experience to that of traditional search engines.

However, this development raises concerns about the reliability of information found on TikTok. Unlike Google, TikTok is mainly powered by user-generated content, which can sometimes compromise the accuracy and objectivity of information.

Even though TikTok is positioning itself as a serious alternative to Google, the search engine remains the industry leader.

Some 91 per cent of those surveyed said they found Google more helpful for finding information, compared with 39 per cent for YouTube and 21 per cent for the search engine Bing. TikTok comes fourth with 17 per cent.

Food, music and fashion

So, what are young people looking for on TikTok? According to the Adobe survey, respondents are most keen on videos about new recipes (36 per cent).

They also turn to the platform to discover new music (35 per cent), for DIY tutorial videos (34 per cent) and fashion tips (30 per cent).

Here again, generational differences are apparent, with Gen Zers 29 per cent more likely to use TikTok to find new recipes than Millennials.

TikTok’s popularity with young people is notably due to its format. Short videos are considered more informative and digestible by 44 per cent of those surveyed, making this the top reason to use the platform over a traditional search engine.

Users are also attracted to the ‘storytelling’ aspect of TikTok videos (34 per cent), and by the more personalized content (31 per cent).

It should be noted that for 29 per cent of those surveyed, the information they find on TikTok is considered to be more current. — ETX Studio