ChatGPT is not the most popular search engine after Google

Key takeaways 

• The Fragmentation of Search Engines: While Google remains dominant, the rise of AI-driven search engines like ChatGPT, and platforms like Amazon and social media, has shifted the search landscape. Marketers must adopt a multichannel approach to stay visible.
• Social Media and E-commerce as Search Engines: Social media platforms, especially Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, are becoming popular for brand discovery, while Amazon dominates product searches in the U.S.
• Google’s Adaptation to AI and Visual Search: Google is evolving to meet the growing demand for visual searches through innovations like Gemini’s “Ask Photos” feature, while simultaneously addressing competition from AI search engines such as ChatGPT.

The Importance of Multichannel Marketing

“Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and Google might seem like an unlikely pairing, but the popular TV show was the first to bring the term “Googled” into the public eye. A lot has changed since then. Getting visibility and becoming popular is no longer achieved solely through television. The days when a marketer could simply place an ad in the newspaper or secure a mention on TV to gain attention are long gone. The world of marketing has become far more complex.

Some sources suggest Google still holds over 90% of the search engine market share. However, this data is somewhat outdated. Search engines are no longer limited to Google, Yahoo, Bing, and a few others.

AI-driven search engines such as ChatGPT, Brave Search, and Perplexity are intensifying the competition. Additionally, platforms like Amazon and various social media channels have become search engines in their own right.

As a result, the question is no longer, “What is the most popular search engine?” but rather, “What are you searching for?” This shift makes embracing a multichannel marketing approach essential.

Social media is a hugely popular search engine 

E-commerce platforms have become powerful search engines. When performing product searches, a staggering 57% of all searches in the U.S. begin directly on Amazon. Amazon’s dominance is driven by consumers’ mindset. Shoppers approach the platform with a different intention.

It’s convenient to find a wide variety of products in one place, and when people search on Amazon, they are often closer to making a purchase. They’re in “shopping mode,” whereas on Google, many users are still in “research mode.”

On the other hand, social media platforms are where people love to explore and have become hugely popular search engines. According to stats from GWI, 45% of users now turn to Instagram to follow or discover information about brands, 41% use Facebook/Messenger, and 23% use TikTok.

People enjoy seeing what others are interested in and reality TV has only fuelled this fascination. Despite the seemingly endless stream of “Love Island” and “Ex on the Beach,” it’s clear that we remain captivated by watching others. Even though one would assume the producers are getting many emails from people begging them to cancel it.

Whether we admit it or not, people love observing others – what they wear, what they eat, and what products they use. Some individuals even see the influencers they follow more often than their own friends.

With people spending an average of 2½ hours daily scrolling through social media, it’s no surprise we get influenced by the fashion and habits of those we follow. A key reason for this is how social media algorithms work and understand user habits.

For instance, the Instagram algorithms use a range of factors including personalisation, relevancy and engagement. This is why building a strong Instagram niche is so effective in gaining more fans on the platform.

It’s no secret that having a large following and strong engagement on social media builds social proof, further boosting a brand’s popularity. Seeing influencers enjoy a fun workout with friends, wearing their new sports gear on their fit bodies, might seem more appealing than merely searching for the same outfit on Google.

Google’s Adaptation to Visual Searches

However, Google has already responded to the growing demand for picture- and video-based searches. So, it’s important not to underestimate them. Google is well aware of consumer shifts and has introduced a new way to search your photos using its advanced AI model, Gemini, through a feature called “Ask Photos.” This innovation allows users to search their phone’s pictures and videos in a natural, conversational way.

You can simply say, “Please show me the best photo from all the vegetarian restaurants I visited last year.” Google Photos will quickly pull up the relevant images, saving you from endless scrolling. This feature can be really useful since most of us don’t remember every place we’ve visited. You might even discover a new restaurant based on a friend’s recommendation from their own past visits. This might have the potential to become another popular search engine.

The Rise of popular AI Search Engines like ChatGPT

Although Google has been adept at adapting to consumer demands, it faces several challenges. Recently, Google was found guilty of exploiting its dominant position in search. As a result, it paid $26.3 billion in 2021 to secure its status as the default option on smartphone web browsers.

This move left competitors like Microsoft’s Bing at a disadvantage, making it nearly impossible for them to compete. While Google was found in violation of U.S. antitrust laws, it remains uncertain how this will impact the company moving forward.

Google also faces growing competition from other fronts. OpenAI’s ChatGPT is rapidly gaining market share and is striving to become the leading search engine. Recently ChatGPT surpassed 200 million daily active users, despite ongoing concerns about its accuracy and business model.

According to a study by Evercore, 8% of participants now use ChatGPT as their default search engine. While the study was small and recently traffic has declined, it’s clear that Google cannot ignore this trend.

In the first half of 2024 interest in AI and SEO jumped 50% alone. This has led to a 317% increase in people wanting to use AI for content creation. The emergence of ChatGPT has been central to this phenomenon, changing what users expect from a search engine.

Despite accusations of plagiarism against search tools like Perplexity and ChatGPT, and Google’s de-indexing of AI-generated content, this trend seems here to stay. In fact, ChatGPT’s recent launch of ‘Search GPT’ signals its intent to keep expanding

However, Google’s AI Overview may still be a better option for many users and is already a popular search engine. Who ultimately wins this battle will depend on factors such as regulation, trust, and user experience. Based on an experiment we conducted, trustworthiness remains an area where ChatGPT has massive room to improve.

The Future: A more fragmented landscape of popular search engines

While the future of search will see the growth of AI search engines, it’s unlikely that Google will experience its own “Kodak moment.” They responded swiftly to the rise of OpenAI and continue to adapt to changes in the search market. Google is closely monitoring trends. It offers users the ability to search through images and generate results from multiple sources with their AI overview. Unlike Kodak, Google holds vast amounts of data on human behaviour. This makes it one of the most informed companies in the world when it comes to strategic decision-making.

As the search market becomes increasingly fragmented, standing out will require a multichannel approach. Optimising for different search platforms will be key to generating the greatest impact in this evolving landscape.