Could Google lose relevance among search engines? Understand how social networks can displace the search engine leader

Search sites are tools for obtaining information published on internet pages. With the premise of scanning the web and creating a database, the idea of ​​online search engines emerged in the 1990s. Today, there are those who say they can't live without them. As expected, search engines have undergone and still undergo constant updates, becoming faster and more effective.

However, society also explores new ways to use available resources to its advantage. An example of this is the tendency to use social networks as search tool, which can impact both search engines and the companies that use them in their digital marketing strategies. In this article you understand this insurgent trend in more depth.

What are search engines?

Also called search engines and research sites, search sites are online platforms for finding information published on the internet. The first search site was created in the early 1990s, still in the early days of the internet. At the time, they had simpler tracking techniques compared to today. Even so, in general, they worked by crawling and indexing web pages in their databases.

Essentially, the primary methodology of search engines no different from the tools we use today. In short, they work as follows: first they scan the entire internet, followed by indexing the pages found in a database. So, when carrying out a search, the engine presents the pages it recognizes that are related to the searched keyword.

There is a wide variety of online search engines that differ from each other in terms of the way they present results, that is, the algorithm. But they can also have different functionalities in terms of user privacy, database size, among others. Some of the most striking examples are Bing, Yahoo, and of course, Google.

Search engines and Google's monopoly

When it comes to infoproducts, without a doubt Google is one of the biggest success stories in the world. In 2020, without great relevance in the physical products market, Google led the podium as the most influential brand among Brazilians, followed by YouTube, which belongs to the same Group, Alphabet.   

But success is not just restricted to the brand. This is because users and experts admit the quality of the services provided. Especially, the enormous size of its database, aligned with added features such as Maps and Gmail. Such relevance explains its protagonism: Google is the most used online search engine in the world.

In Brazil, Google's Market Share exceeds an impressive 98%, with around 4,5 billion monthly visits. Therefore, it is difficult for the competition to fight on equal terms with the leader, with less than 2% of the market remaining, divided between four main companies: Yahoo, with 0.5%, Bing with 0.39%, DuckDuckGo, 0.21%, and at the bottom, Ask with 0.02%.

New generations and research on social networks

On the other hand, a movement that is still in its infancy can add new actors to this clash. This is the way in which younger generations, such as Z (born between 1995 and 2010) and alpha (born between 2011 and 2024) use social networks as a research tool.

It is no surprise that young adults, teenagers and even some children are frequent users of social networks. A recent survey showed that around 78% of this population is in any of these media.

The news is that they have explored new ways of using them, especially to carry out research. According to a survey by Capterra, a business software comparison platform, around 37% of Gen Z have abandoned traditional search engines (Google, Yahoo, Bing, etc.) and have mostly started using social networks for this purpose.

In fact, the data is interesting, but not alarming. After all, only 7% of those interviewed claimed to opt exclusively for social media to search for information on the internet. In general, search engines are still preferred.

Can Tiktok Become a Survey Site?

Connected to the new public dynamics, TikTok – a Chinese video platform – took the lead and in 2023 began to optimize your survey tool.

 The idea is to use the social network's robust algorithm to deliver to users our truly relevant and focused on the initial interest. All this with an intimate and casual touch, typical of the platform. On the other hand, it is worth mentioning that TikTok remains restricted to the video format, offering a research method that is completely different from traditional search sites.

This is not yet a trend to worry about. However, it is yet another indication that, nowadays, social networks play a multifunctional role in the daily lives of millions of people, especially younger people. Therefore, you must keep this information on your radar when developing your companies' marketing strategy and ask yourself: how will it be presented in search results on search engines and on social networks?

But the answer to this question deserves a separate article. In the meantime, enjoy the other content on Beatz's blog and stay up to date on trends and news that impact the world of digital marketing.