There was a time when Google’s whole thing was search. Now that the company’s whole thing is, well, everything, some competitors are finding ways to chip away at the tech giant’s armor when it comes to looking things up online.
The competition is forcing Google to make some changes to its most prominent service.
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At Fortune’s Brainstorm Tech conference this week, Google exec Prabhakar Raghavan made the stunning admission that around 40% of Gen Z prefers searching via TikTok or Instagram over Google.
Turns out when it comes to finding a lunch spot, young people are more interested in seeing @user17893490234’s fancam of its most aesthetic cocktails than a one-star Yelp review about its least-accommodating manager.
- Internal Google data also shows that around 55% of product searches start on Amazon, not Google.
Sensing weakness, investors are beginning to dip their toes in fresh competition. The customizable, ad-free search startup You.com announced yesterday that it raised $25 million in Series A funding, following a $20 million round last fall.
Google isn’t taking the threat lightly, either. To adapt to changing search expectations, the company is trying to improve search by implementing new features such as augmented reality and AI that helps lead users toward relevant video results (including on TikTok and Instagram).—MK
