It has been over a year since Google noticed that social media platforms have begun to encroach on Google’s search share. A GreyMatters article from December discussed the inroads TikTok is making into search. 
According to GWI, social media is preferred to search a brand by 51% of Gen Z consumers, as opposed to using a search engine.
Reasons for Gen Z’s preference include:
- Using social media for search gets them to the desired information quickly (top reason)
- Social search results are relevant, visual and fun
To compete with social search, the big search engines and others will need to make search results more engaging and relevant to consumers.