le Search is still the best news discovery platform

Google Search is still the best platform for U.S. adults looking to find major news events, but Gen Z appears to be more inclined than other generations to use TikTok to search these events, according to a survey.

Why we care. TikTok, for publishers, is the new Facebook. Like Facebook many years ago, publishers flock to Facebook only to watch Facebook slowly squeeze the life from referral traffic and engagement.

TikTok may be an acceptable way for publishers to reach Generation Z, or those born in 1997 or later. We will see if TikTok takes a similar route as Facebook with publishers and whether users flock to the “next TikTok,” should one emerge.

Google Search and News, by the Numbers. Here’s how many people said that they started researching major news events on Google.

• 48% of baby boomers
• 47% of Gen Xers
• Millennials: 45%
• 39% of Gen Z adults

Gen Z and TikTok. 14% of respondents indicated that they begin researching major news events on TikTok. This was significantly more than the 1% of all generations.

Is this really a sign that publishers are moving beyond the “wait-and see” phase, as the survey suggests? While many large publishers, such as the Wall Street Journal and New York Times have accounts, they are not very active. Many other publishers, like Financial Times or Axios, simply don’t have an account on TikTok.

Can AI chat in Google/Bing search drive TikTok publishers? It’s possible to do anything. We don’t know much about Google’s AI chat for search. Perhaps Google is deliberately letting Bing pass the AI wall, and avoiding some of the earlier mistakes? It will impact the search experience and organic traffic.

However, the survey points out:

Publishers can’t be too strict in limiting their most valuable coverage to their sites, as search engine referrals will eventually become less common. This means that you need to invest more in repurposing paywalled content into posts on social platforms such as TikTok vertical videos or YouTube video podcasts.

– Kevin Tran TikTok Is Gen Z’s Google and More about How Gen Z Gets its News

The survey was conducted by Morning Consult between February 3-5. The results were based upon responses from 2,199 adults in the United States. There was an unweighted margin error of +/-2 percentage point. It is in its entirety.

Search Engine Land first published the post Google Search still remains the best news discovery platform.