Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, revealed that the platform is working on improving its search functionality to better compete, particularly with TikTok. Speaking on the “Build Your Tribe” podcast, Mosseri admitted that Instagram’s search capabilities—especially for content, not just accounts—still have a long way to go.
He explained that the team previously handling Instagram Search was relatively small, but Meta has now strengthened it with the aim of rolling out improvements over time.
“Content search on Instagram isn’t great right now, even though there’s a ton of amazing content on the platform. Enhancing this feature would benefit both users trying to find specific things and creators whose content deserves to be relevant beyond the initial 24 to 48 hours,” Mosseri said.
He also highlighted how Gen Z’s habits are shifting, with many of them turning to platforms like TikTok or Instagram instead of traditional search engines like Google. In fact, back in 2022, Google acknowledged that platforms like TikTok were starting to eat into its user base for services like Search and Maps.
TikTok has even begun competing directly with Google’s ad business by offering advertisers the ability to target users based on in-app search results.
Various studies support this behavioral shift. In one U.S. study, Instagram ranked higher than Google and other search engines as Gen Z’s preferred search tool. Still, Instagram hasn’t fully claimed dominance in this area.
A Bernstein Research report from April 2024 showed that 45% of Gen Z prefer using social media to search for information. Another 2024 study by HerCampus, cited by eMarketer, revealed that 51% of Gen Z favor TikTok, largely due to its engaging short-form video content.
Mosseri emphasized that Instagram needs to evolve from just being a social platform into a tool for discovery. He added that only a small percentage of average users post to the Feed daily. The Feed is becoming more of a public space, while Stories and DMs remain the primary way users interact with friends.
Instagram also wants to catch up with TikTok in how it offers recommended searches based on comment sections. TikTok surfaces suggested searches from what people are discussing in the comments, and Instagram is looking to improve this as well.
“Sometimes the real context isn’t in the video itself, but in the conversation happening around it—often in the comments. We’re working on making that easier to access so users can dive deeper,” Mosseri said.
He mentioned that a new version of Instagram that incorporates comment-based search suggestions is coming out “soon.”
