If you still assume that Google Search is where your next client will find you, you may be overlooking the platforms that Millennials and Gen Z are using daily. According to recent findings from TikTok and WARC’s Global Future of Search Study (2025), younger audiences now use TikTok Search as their go-to resource for discovery, reviews, and purchase decisions in addition to entertainment. Businesses that disregard TikTok’s expanding search ecosystem are losing out on quantifiable return on investment, as the platform hosts billions of searches every day, up 40% year-over-year.
This blog examines the most recent data that shows why TikTok Search Ads are a good addition to any paid media strategy, why they perform better than other channels, and why now is the right time to invest in them.
TikTok Search Ads: The Rising Challenger To Google And AI Search
TikTok Search VS. Traditional Search
TikTok Search Ads, which were first introduced in 2023, let brands appear in in-app searches when users are specifically looking at goods, services, or content. According to recent data, TikTok has been a powerful emerging platform to rapidly overtake some AI search platforms for younger audiences (Gen-Z) and also holds the potential to become a significant competitor to Google.
94% of Millennials and 90% of Gen Z still use traditional search engines every week.
For B2B marketers, TikTok offers a supplementary channel for multi-touch attribution strategies, but traditional search is still crucial.
TikTok is currently the second most popular search platform among Gen Z and Millennials, with 86% of Gen Z and 64% of Millennials using TikTok Search every week.
This is an opportunity for brands to raise awareness in the early stages of product research, before rivals enter the conversation.
In contrast, only 50% of Millennials and 60% of Gen Z use AI-powered search engines every week.
Compared to AI search, TikTok currently offers advertisers less competition and a more transparent ROI framework, which facilitates campaign testing.
71% of Millennials and 75% of Gen Z use online marketplaces every week, demonstrating their crucial relevance.
For e-commerce sellers, TikTok can serve as the top-of-funnel driver that guides buyers to make purchases.
This indicates that TikTok is a fundamental discovery platform for brands, where social validation and search intent meet. It is no longer just an entertainment app for brands.
Why Gen Z And Millennials Are Turning To TikTok For Search
Categories Where TikTok Wins
Due to TikTok’s visual, authentic, and community-driven results, younger audiences are potentially switching from Google. They find short-form videos from actual people and brands in place of static blue links more appealing.
The following are the top categories in which Gen Z favors TikTok Search over conventional search engines:
Lifestyle, Fashion, and Beauty Tips (+26%)
To increase trust and purchase intent, beauty and lifestyle brands can display user-generated content and tutorials.
Trending Subjects and Viral Material (+24%)
By jumping on popular hashtags early, marketers can lower ad expenses while increasing organic reach.
Recipes and Cooking (+23%)
Interactive recipe advertisements can encourage direct purchases from food brands, CPG companies, and kitchenware companies.
Online Groups and Communities (+23%)
By participating in community-driven discussions, niche companies can establish themselves as thought leaders.
Entertainment (+22%)
Media and entertainment businesses can use content previews to encourage downloads, subscriptions, or event participation.
Home Remodeling and DIY (+15%)
Intent-driven consumers looking for tools, furniture, or home services can be targeted by online retailers and suppliers.
Local Companies and Offerings (+14%)
Service providers, such as hair salons and fitness centers, can geotarget clients who are actively looking in the area.
Parenting Guidance (+14%)
Brands in consumer goods, healthcare, or the education sector can connect with parents who are still in the discovery stage, looking for guidance.
Directions and Travel Planning (+12%)
Immersion search-led video campaigns can encourage reservations for travel agencies, airlines, and lodging establishments.
Fitness and Health (+11%)
Influencer-backed advertisements can be used by wellness providers, fitness brands, and supplement manufacturers to increase subscriptions.
Current Affairs and News (+11%)
By creating timely, search-optimized content, publishers and B2B thought leaders can increase brand authority.
Product Comparisons, Reviews, and Shopping (+10%)
By using competitive positioning and testimonial-driven advertising, e-commerce brands can sway consumers’ ultimate purchasing decisions.
This information is essential for advertising in e-commerce. These are the exact categories in which TikTok Ads have the power to both directly affect consumer choices and foster long-term brand loyalty.
TikTok’s Search Experience: Engaging, Social, And Action-Oriented
Why TikTok Search Converts Better
User engagement is the primary distinction between TikTok and conventional search. Rather than passively clicking through links, users consume engaging, peer-validated video content that seems trustworthy.
Important findings from TikTok’s investigation:
According to 70% of TikTok users, search results are more interesting and entertaining than those on other platforms.
B2B marketers will find it simpler to capture and impress decision-makers early in the process because of the increased dwell time and improved brand recall.
3 out of 4 consumers consider TikTok to be the best resource for finding new products and brands.
This gives companies a strong way to reach untapped customers who might not be actively using Google for search purposes.
61% percent say they are immediately motivated to act by the TikTok search results, click, save, or purchase.
This means that brands have a better chance of guiding prospects through the funnel and producing leads and sales more quickly than they could with traditional platforms.
After searching on TikTok, 1 out of 5 users has made a direct purchase.
This indicates that TikTok can be used by both B2B and B2C businesses as a full-funnel advertising channel with quantifiable return on investment, in addition to being a discovery tool.
This means TikTok is more than just brand awareness for brands; it’s a conversion-driven advertising platform that can produce ROI-focused outcomes for businesses in a variety of sectors.
Performance Data: How TikTok Search Ads Drive Higher Conversions
Proven ROI From TikTok Search Campaigns
In contrast to other platforms, TikTok offers clear proof of improved performance for brands that spend money on Search Ads.
Compared to campaigns without search ads, those with search ads generated a 2.0x greater purchase lift.
This suggests that B2B brands have a better chance of influencing client organizations’ procurement and decision-making processes through focused discovery.
With a 2.2x higher purchase lift, the effect was even stronger for enterprise advertisers.
This demonstrates how TikTok can reach both consumer and professional audiences, enhancing lead quality and fostering intricate sales cycles.
Dedicated search campaigns outperformed non-search campaigns in enterprise retail, achieving a 1.9x higher purchase lift and a stronger incremental ROAS.
B2B companies can use these campaigns to maximize incremental revenue from specific segments and drive quantifiable return on investment from high-value accounts.
These figures demonstrate that, for performance marketers monitoring return on investment, TikTok advertising can produce outcomes that are potentially on par with or probably better than Google Ads or Meta Ads, particularly in sectors like retail and e-commerce, while also providing sophisticated chances for B2B expansion.
Key Opportunities For Brands Advertising On TikTok Search
Industries With The Most Potential
So, who is most likely to benefit from TikTok’s marketing strategy? The study identifies several verticals in which TikTok Search Ads can have a significant effect:
- Brands in the beauty, fashion, and lifestyle sectors (Gen Z’s preferred category): Early in the discovery process, establish connections with distributors, retailers, and influencers to encourage wholesale inquiries and cooperative campaigns.
- B2B benefit for food and recipe developers, CPG firms, and online retailers: Use search-driven interaction to draw in foodservice partners, retail chains, and bulk buyers who are searching for trending products.
- Media and entertainment companies looking for viral reach: Presenting in-demand content trends to industry stakeholders can help you find production partners, licensing opportunities, and brand partnerships.
- Local businesses seeking to reach younger, mobile-first consumers: To effectively grow B2B networks, reach out to franchisees, regional partners, or service providers in areas with high search intent.
- Community-driven travel, fitness, parenting, and health brands: Form strategic alliances with parenting networks, travel companies, or wellness centers that are actively looking to provide cutting-edge products for younger audiences.
TikTok Search Ads offer an unexplored avenue to connect with customers and business associates during the contemplation and decision-making stages of their purchasing process, especially as the holiday season draws near.
Why Businesses Should Invest In TikTok Search Ads Now
The First-Mover Advantage
Currently, TikTok Search Ads provide a first-mover advantage, just like any new platform.
- In contrast to crowded platforms like Google Ads, early adopters enjoy lower CPCs, greater organic reach, and less competition.
By getting in early, businesses can guarantee their niche goods or services high visibility before rivals control the majority of search terms.
- In terms of Gen Z brand discovery, TikTok is already emerging to be on par with Google.
Companies that target younger decision-makers or entry-level employees are highlighted in the places where future purchasing power starts.
- Compared to traditional results, TikTok search results are more appealing and focused on taking action.
Captivating, brief videos give B2B companies the chance to showcase their case studies, solutions, or thought leadership in a more compelling, interactive format.
- Brands that act now will gain market share before the inevitable rise in CPCs due to widespread adoption.
By investing early, B2B advertisers can test innovative messaging and acquire cost-effective leads before the competition in their industry.
For digital marketing managers and corporate decision-makers, creating a presence on TikTok Search before your rivals does is not only an opportunity but a strategic necessity.
MetroMax BPM: Your Partner In TikTok Search Ad Success
At MetroMax BPM, we understand that implementing new platforms calls for knowledge, planning, and skill. With more than 25 years of expertise in digital marketing, we assist companies of all sizes in maximizing TikTok Search Ads’ potential to generate quantifiable return on investment. Our strategy consists of finding lucrative TikTok advertising opportunities for your sector, then creating campaigns that are conversion-focused using targeted and creative optimization, then using continuous performance management to deliver scalable ROI for paid media, and much more. MetroMax BPM is your reliable growth partner if your company is prepared to capture Gen Z and Millennial audiences at the right time.
Final Comments
The data makes it abundantly evident that TikTok Search Ads are rapidly evolving into a fundamental digital marketing tactic for companies looking to engage with Gen Z and Millennial consumers. With TikTok searches increasing 40% annually and campaigns generating twice as much purchase lift, companies that adjust early will reap the greatest benefits.
TikTok has established a distinctive ecosystem where brand discovery, customer trust, and conversions occur in real time by fusing the intent-driven nature of search with the engagement potential of social video. Performance marketers, agencies, and e-commerce brands have a once-in-a-decade chance to outperform rivals.
Now is the perfect time to invest in TikTok Search Ads if your objectives are to boost return on investment from paid advertising, diversify into new channels, and attract younger audiences before they go elsewhere. You will also have the know-how and data-driven strategy required to turn TikTok into your next high-ROI advertising platform if MetroMax BPM is your strategic partner.
