Instagram Overhauls Search to Compete with TikTok’s Growing Influence

Instagram is taking bold steps to become more than just a place to share photos and reels. In a recent episode of the Build Your Tribe podcast, Instagram head Adam Mosseri revealed that “Instagram is beefing up its search” — a move aimed at challenging TikTok’s growing dominance in how Gen Z finds content online.

Mosseri acknowledged that “content search — as opposed to searching for an account, actually searching for some type of content — is not very good on Instagram.” However, this is about to change.

He noted that Meta has “strengthened” the team working on Instagram search and is now investing heavily to make content discovery smoother and smarter. The platform wants to help users easily “find ‘that’ more easily,” no matter what they’re browsing for whether fashion tips, travel inspiration, or trending memes.

Importantly, this revamp isn’t just for users. It’s also a win for creators. Mosseri explained that better search will help content “resurface so that you don’t get all the value in those first 24 or 48 hours.”

Instagram is also looking at how TikTok uses comment-based context to suggest searches. Mosseri said the platform is working on a version that will let users discover more “in the context around it, which is almost always in the comments.” This upgraded experience is expected to roll out “soon.”

As Gen Z continues to shift away from traditional search engines, platforms like Instagram and TikTok are becoming go-to sources for quick, visual information. Research backs this trend: A recent HerCampus study showed that 51% of Gen Zers prefer TikTok over Google, while 45% favor social platforms like Instagram for their search needs, according to Bernstein Research.

With TikTok already allowing ads on its search results page and reshaping how users explore the internet, Instagram’s new push suggests Meta is ready to join the fight for the future of search and it’s not backing down.