Over the past few years, TikTok has been steadily building out its Search feature to compete with Google, and now it's taking a major step forward by allowing advertisers to target its search results page. On Tuesday, TikTok introduced the "TikTok Search Ads Campaign," a new keyword-based advertising tool that lets brands appear directly in search results.

While ads were already present on TikTok’s search results page, this new feature gives brands more control over how and when their content is shown. With TikTok's strong influence on users' shopping habits, it’s a logical move for the platform to offer brands the ability to target consumers actively searching for products or information.

This new launch intensifies competition with Google’s search ad business, especially as Google itself has acknowledged that younger audiences are increasingly using social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram for their searches. According to TikTok, 57% of its users are already utilizing its search feature, and 23% initiate a search within just 30 seconds of opening the app.

With this new tool, TikTok allows brands to connect with users when they are actively seeking out specific content. Brands can tailor their ads to match the different search patterns of TikTok users, enhancing the effectiveness of their campaigns.

TikTok’s testing showed that advertisers running both Search Ads and In-Feed Ads saw an average 20% boost in conversions. Moreover, the platform noted that 18% of users who don’t initially engage with an In-Feed Ad later interact after seeing a related Search Ad.

"TikTok is a hub for discovery, where users come to search and explore," said David Kaufman, TikTok's Global Head of Monetization Products and Solutions, in a blog post. "We’re thrilled to provide advertisers with a new way to tap into TikTok’s diverse search behaviors, where users find content both deliberately and by chance. This is just the beginning of our journey with search ads, and we’re eager to grow and learn alongside our community to help brands unlock greater value."