> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.nearmedia.co/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # ChatGPT ≠ Search, Unread Reviews, Gen Z SearchTok - URL: https://www.nearmedia.co/chatgpt-search-reviews-unread-gen-z-search/ - Published: 2023-09-01T18:40:30.000Z - Updated: 2023-09-01T18:40:30.000Z - Author: Greg Sterling - Tags: News ### People Not Using ChatGPT to 'Search' When ChatGPT launched it was immediately seen as a "Google killer." However, that has not come to pass. In fact, ChatGPT's traffic, while [substantial, is declining](https://sparktoro.com/blog/we-analyzed-millions-of-chatgpt-user-sessions-visits-are-down-29-since-may-programming-assistance-is-30-of-use/?ref=nearmedia.co), down from its May 2023 peak. That's according to a Datos-SparkToro analysis of ChatGPT visits and prompts. ChatGPT is emerging as mostly a B2B tool for professionals, programmers and marketers, with education a very strong use case as well. SparkToro's analysis of user prompts shows that "programming assistance" is the dominant single usage category of ChatGPT (29%), with sales & marketing and content creation combining for 34% (though not all content is for marketing). The graphic below reflects the most common "user tasks" according to the analysis. Nearly 70% appear to be B2B/work-related. There may be a few categories where people are using ChatGPT for queries and research they might otherwise do on Google but the majority aren't using it as a Google substitute. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/03/80/0380d96d-ef7e-450e-96b3-2963e18aaab5/content/images/2023/09/image.png) ****Our take:** - ChatGPT and AI more generally are being widely adopted as productivity tools in the workplace. But consumers aren't using them to search. - So far, vertical sites that integrated ChatGPT as "an assistant" (e.g., [Expedia](https://www.expediagroup.com/investors/news-and-events/financial-releases/news/news-details/2023/Chatgpt-Wrote-This-Press-Release--No-It-Didnt-But-It-Can-Now-Assist-With-Travel-Planning-In-The-Expedia-App/default.aspx?ref=nearmedia.co)) haven't seen meaningful usage gains – or we'd be hearing about them. - I still believe there's a powerful AI search-Google alternative use case but it may not materialize because of inertia/habitual Google usage. ### Users Love Reviews, Don't Read Them User reviews [are more trusted](https://www.ipsos.com/sites/default/files/What-The-Future-Intelligence.pdf?ref=nearmedia.co) than other sources of online information, including search results, social media, influencers and ads. It's no surprise then that reviews are the top influence on conversions, according to the [Local Search Ranking Factors](https://www.nearmedia.co/local-search-ranking-factors-23/). We've also seen this first hand at Near Media in our direct user research in the legal and medical categories. Consistently, reviews exercise an outsized influence on consumer decision-making. But the majority of people are looking almost exclusively at star ratings; they're not reading review text. In the medical vertical we saw that roughly two-thirds of users, who mentioned that reviews were important, did not read them. The flip side, of course, is that about a third were reading reviews (often negative reviews) with varying degrees of attention. Few businesses respond to reviews (our findings: <10%) but for review readers it's important. However, the majority are only looking at ratings and review volumes. **Medical vertical: value reviews vs. read them** ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/03/80/0380d96d-ef7e-450e-96b3-2963e18aaab5/content/images/2023/09/Screen-Shot-2023-09-01-at-9.53.54-AM.png) ****Our take:** - Despite the above, it's important to respond to negative reviews in a timely way. AI can help for multi-location brands. - The platforms know most people aren't reading reviews, hence the emergence of [AI-review summarization](https://www.nearmedia.co/ai-review-summaries-e-commerce-1t-ai-adoption/). - We presented this and other data at this week's [Local SEO for Good event](https://www.brightlocal.com/local-seo-for-good/?ref=nearmedia.co) (BrightLocal). You can access the whole presentation there. ### Gen Z: We Search TikTok, Like Ads The first item above talks about how the AI search threat to Google appears to be dissipating. But what about TikTok? It surprisingly [emerged last year](https://www.nearmedia.co/zoomers-no-maps-dash-cart-location-data-abuse/), as a Gen Z Google alternative. Subsequently, TikTok itself has tried to capitalize on the idea [that it's a search engine](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaE1z4dZ4As&ref=nearmedia.co), most recently [rolling out search ads](https://www.nearmedia.co/tiktok-search-toggle-chatgpt-wins-ai-no-copyright/). Research from [Tinuiti](https://tinuiti.com/content/research/from-a-to-gen-z/?ref=nearmedia.co) (n=5,000 adults) confirms that younger users are indeed searching on TikTok, in some categories, almost as much as Google. The chart below reflects self-reported behavior (in-store search about products): 43% searched Google, while 32% searched TikTok and 25% scanned QR codes. While these behaviors are not mutually exclusive, in this question they were. The survey also found that Gen Z users are less ad-sensitive and more likely to allow tracking and targeting than older users. Thirty-six percent of Gen Z respondents would "allow tracking \[to\] receive more relevant ads." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/03/80/0380d96d-ef7e-450e-96b3-2963e18aaab5/content/images/2023/09/Screen-Shot-2023-09-01-at-11.07.11-AM.png) ****Our take:** - The "migration" of younger users to TikTok as a search engine reflects dissatisfaction with Google to varying degrees. - Google's emphasis on images/video, its creation of a [Perspectives filter](https://www.nearmedia.co/google-perspectives-amazon-last-mile-moderation-collision-course/) (social content) and other actions are an attempt to retain younger users. - TikTok has valuable content but also lots of dreck. It may be more "authentic" but not necessarily more efficient than Google. ## Recent Analysis - ICYMI: **Google Shifting GBP Support to 'Brand Ambassadors' aka Gig Workers?**, [by Mike Blumenthal](https://www.nearmedia.co/is-google-shifting-gbp-support-to-gig-workers/). ## Short Takes - The [top 15 most common](https://ahrefs.com/blog/site-audit-study/?ref=nearmedia.co) **technical SEO issues.** - **Google SGE** expands to India, Japan [formalizes links](https://blog.google/products/search/google-search-generative-ai-india-japan/?ref=nearmedia.co). - **Google Maps** [testing new colors](https://9to5google.com/2023/08/31/google-maps-new-colors/?ref=nearmedia.co) that look like Apple Maps. - **Google Flights** now tells you the [cheapest time to book](https://blog.google/products/travel/google-flights-find-deals/?ref=nearmedia.co). - **Twitter** to [collect biometric and employment data](https://www.cnbc.com/2023/09/01/musks-x-to-collect-biometric-information-and-employment-data.html?ref=nearmedia.co) on users. - **Shopify** to offer merchants [Amazon Buy with Prime + fulfillment](https://buywithprime.amazon.com/shopify?ref=nearmedia.co). - **Free shipping** [remains paramount](https://www.digitalcommerce360.com/2023/08/30/shipping-delivery-satisfaction/?ref=nearmedia.co) for consumers. - **Reddit's** got a new [ML-powered keyword suggestion tool](https://www.redditinc.com/blog/unlocking-advertiser-success-through-enhanced-targeting-capabilities-an-update-on-our-contextual-tools-and-ml-powered-keyword-suggestions?ref=nearmedia.co) for ads. - **Google's Fitbit** [sued in Europe](https://thenextweb.com/news/fitbit-google-illegal-data-sharing?ref=nearmedia.co) for data-privacy violations. - Growing percentage of [top 1000 sites](https://originality.ai/blog/study-websites-blocking-gptbot?ref=nearmedia.co) **blocking AI crawlers**. - **Instacart** is increasingly an ad play: [insights](https://www.pymnts.com/news/ecommerce/2023/why-instacart-isnt-amazon-but-is-more-than-an-online-grocery-app/?ref=nearmedia.co) from its [S-1](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1579091/000119312523221345/d55348ds1.htm?ref=nearmedia.co). - **SMBs** [want sales and marketing help](https://bredin.com/blog/2023/08/bredin-report-what-smbs-want-in-a-resource-center/?ref=nearmedia.co) most from vendors. - **AI-generated sports stories** draw ridicule ([WaPo](https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2023/08/31/gannett-ai-written-stories-high-school-sports/?ref=nearmedia.co)). Listen to our [latest podcast](https://www.nearmedia.co/memo/). [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/03/80/0380d96d-ef7e-450e-96b3-2963e18aaab5/content/images/2021/02/near_memo_banner.png)](https://nearmedia.co/memo?ref=nearmedia.co) How can we make this better? Email [us](mailto:gsterling@nearmedia.co) with suggestions and recommendations.