TikTok Vs. Google: From Enemies to Partner
Let’s learn a little about the causes of the Google and TikTok war before delving deeper into their partnership. As far as we concern, TikTok is a social network focusing on short videos, but is gradually becoming the go-to search engine for young people and this is threatening its market share which is almost monopolized by Google for many years. It is this concern that causes the war between Google and TikTok.
However, things have changed 180 degrees when TikTok and Google are planning to cooperate with each other this year to integrate Google search prompt with search results into the TikTok platform. When users search on TikTok, there are some suggestions to expand search results to Google. Currently, TikTok is testing this search integration with third parties including Google globally.
What it can offer us
On the one hand, I think this cooperation brings a variety of huge benefits to make two enemies in such a fierce war come back to cooperate with each other. Moreover, this benefit is not only for the two parties involved but has greater significance than that.
1. More visibility for Google
Let’s look at the benefits it brings to Google. If this partnership come true, Google will certainly be able to eliminate a potentially formidable competitor. Besides, Google has more visibility when integrating its tools into the TikTok platform, especially among young users. This will help Google maintain its top position in search engines.
2. More discovery for TikTok
For TikTok, this cooperation is an opportunity for them to expand their database and customer base. Although specific information about data sharing between the two companies has not been specifically announced, this could allow TikTok to access Google’s huge data without paying any extra fee. This not only helps TikTok improve its discovery tools and open up many opportunities for innovation and adaptability.
3. Bigger digital landscape
It is a great motivation to expand the whole digital landscape. It has a huge impact on accessing data and exploiting the potential of new customer groups. It will provide marketers access to younger target audiences with more detailed information based on cross-platform data sources. In a world where everything is being digitized and developing day by day, quickly seizing and taking advantage of this opportunity obviously brings great benefits to brands, marketers, and the advertising industry in general.
What we need to consider
On the other hand, besides some benefits that I think TikTok, Google and the marketing industry can gain from this partnership, there are some issues that the parties involved need to consider and find satisfactory solutions before making a decision.
1. Disrupted user experience
It is necessary to consider the user experience that may be disrupted when integrating Google search results into the TikTok platform. We know that TikTok’s success is due to its focus on the short video format and continuity from video to video. Integrating Google search results can shift users’ attention to different goals and spend less time watching videos which is the key value of TikTok. Besides, introducing a new feature on the platform also requires users to have more time to add it and learn how to use it effectively. That can make users frustrated.
2. Content mismatch
It is easy for content mismatching to occur when integrating Google search results into TikTok. While TikTok is primarily a platform for video shops and entertainment, Google focuses on text-based search results. Therefore, when users encounter text-based search results, they may feel dissatisfied or simply disliked and reduce their interaction and time spent using the platform. Furthermore, TikTok’s algorithm is adjusted to provide video recommendations based on user preferences. Such integration of Google search results may affect the quality and relevance of recommendations.
3. Personal data security
From users’ point of view, this cooperation also leads to risks related to information security issues, especially user data shared between the two platforms. Users may feel uncomfortable when their search behavior is linked to their TikTok profile. In addition, there are problems with information being misused or data breaches when data is collected.
Although the collaboration between TikTok and Google has certain potential risks, the benefits it brings to both parties involved and the marketing industry outweigh the problems. Hence, I believe this is a good opportunity for marketers who can grasp the trends to develop their own path for the brand.
