Report: Nearly Half of U.S. Consumers Use TikTok as Search Engine

By Brittany Siminitz | March 16, 2026

Online consumer search is evolving, according to an Adobe Express survey, and while Google remains the dominant search tool, close to half of respondents use TikTok for searches—a nearly 20% jump in just two years.

Adobe polled more than 800 U.S. consumers about their search habits. It also surveyed 200 small-business owners, to better understand “how brands are keeping up” with the shift in search practices, Adobe said.

Among consumers, around two in three Gen Z respondents (65%) and over half of millennials (55%) said they have used TikTok as a search engine. Overall, 49% of consumers surveyed said they have searched via TikTok, including 40% of Gen Xers and 12% of baby boomers.

On the question of which platform is most helpful when searching for information, Google handily took the top spot, named by 85% of respondents. It was followed by Reddit (29%), ChatGPT (26%), YouTube (24%), and then TikTok (16%).

Adobe also asked what people are searching for when they use TikTok as a search engine, with top answers: new recipes (named by 22% of respondents), DIY tips (21%), beauty advice (18%), new music (18%), and—the most relevant category for jeweler purposes—product recommendations (16%).

As for why some consumers might prefer TikTok to traditional search engines, the most cited reasons were its short video format (named by 26%), its storytelling aspect (21%), the interactive experience (17%), more current info (16%), and diverse perspectives (15%).

The type of content consumers most like to see on TikTok when searching are video tutorials (61%), followed by product reviews (45%) and personal stories (41%). Although consumers see TikTok as the strongest platform for experiential and expertise-driven content, it’s considered the weakest when it comes to authority and trust, according to Adobe’s report.

Now for marketers. Of the small-business owners surveyed, 58% said they had used TikTok for promotions, and 38% relied on TikTok influencers for product sales or promotions in 2026 (up from 25% in 2024).

Brand owners were asked what type of content got better results from searches on TikTok than traditional search engines, and the top answers were product or service reviews (29%), video tutorials (28%) and personal stories or anecdotes (24%).

The biggest challenges for business owners creating TikTok content, according to the Adobe survey, include converting TikTok engagement into sales (38%), increasing follower count and engagement rates (36%), and building a consistent and engaging brand presence (31%).