Rising TikTok Usage for Search Among U.S. Consumers
Recent findings from an Adobe Express survey indicate an upward trend in the number of U.S. consumers who have employed TikTok for search purposes, surpassing the figures from the company’s previous survey in 2024. However, the platform’s challenge to Google may not be as formidable as the statistics initially imply.
An updated report from Adobe Express, released on February 17, surveyed 807 consumers and 200 small business proprietors in the United States regarding their search preferences across various platforms. The data, collected in January 2026, was analyzed in February of the same year through SurveyMonkey.
Notably, 49% of respondents reported using TikTok as a search engine, marking an increase of 8 percentage points from 41% in the 2024 report.
Shifting Preferences Among Gen Z
Among Gen Z participants, the proportion that favors TikTok over Google as a search tool has diminished from 8% in 2024 to a mere 4% in 2026. While 65% of Gen Z respondents acknowledged using TikTok for search, only 25% deemed it effective for information retrieval.
This decline reflects a waning preference for TikTok in comparison to Google, indicating a shift in user behavior over the past two years.
This trend is corroborated by a separate Axios report from 2024, which highlighted that Google remains the preferred search launching pad for 46% of users aged 18-24.
ChatGPT Emerges as a Viable Google Alternative
In a noteworthy turn, 14% of consumers expressed a greater inclination to depend on ChatGPT rather than Google for search queries, significantly surpassing the 7% who preferred TikTok over Google.
This inclination toward ChatGPT was consistent across generational lines: 12% of Gen Z, 15% of millennials, 15% of Gen X, and 14% of baby boomers indicated a preference for the AI chatbot.
When evaluating the efficacy of search platforms, consumers ranked Google highest at 85%, followed by Reddit at 29%, ChatGPT at 26%, YouTube at 24%, and TikTok at 16%.
Business Investment Trends Show Cooling
Among the 200 small business owners surveyed, 58% had utilized TikTok for promotional activities, allocating an average of 16% of their marketing budget to TikTok content and 15% to search optimization on the platform.
However, only 38% plan to augment their investment in TikTok affiliate marketing, a substantial decrease from the 53% who expressed similar intentions in 2024.
The primary challenge cited by business owners was converting TikTok engagement into sales, affecting 38% of respondents, followed closely by troubles in growing follower counts and engagement rates (36%).
Meanwhile, the utilization of TikTok influencers for product sales or promotions rose to 38%, an increase from 25% in 2024.
Implications of These Findings
The narrative asserting that “TikTok is replacing Google” has circulated since at least 2022. However, these findings complicate that narrative.
While optimizing for TikTok search remains prudent for brands targeting a younger demographic, the data suggest that Gen Z may be settling into a more diversified, multi-platform search behavior rather than fully abandoning Google.
Notably, the ChatGPT figures signal a potential shift in the competitive landscape, with 14% of consumers across various age groups indicating a greater willingness to rely on ChatGPT over Google, thereby presenting a broader challenge than TikTok’s appeal to Gen Z alone.
Future Outlook
Adobe’s report, funded by its own interests, involved 1,007 participants (807 consumers and 200 business owners) with data collected in January 2026.
The sample displays a millennial bias (53%), while Gen Z comprises just 15% of surveyed consumers. No margin of error has been disclosed.
The year-over-year comparisons are drawn from Adobe’s previous findings rather than an independently replicated sample, making the generational trends indicative rather than conclusive.
Nevertheless, the emerging data aligns with broader industry insights suggesting that users are increasingly engaging with diverse platforms for search-related behaviors, with Google retaining its dominant position.
During this evolving landscape, the real competition for Google’s search functionality may stem more from AI chatbots than from social media platforms.
Source link: Searchenginejournal.com.
