A survey of 511 beauty consumers, reported by Search Engine Land on 7 October 2026, found that 57% do not start their beauty research with Google Search. Google was still the single biggest first stop at 43%, so the headline is about fragmentation, not abandonment. As of 9 October 2026, the data is useful but small, run by a firm whose employee wrote the article, and based on one category.
Key Takeaways
- The survey was run by Stella Rising, and the Search Engine Land author is an SEO manager there, which she discloses.
- Google was the first stop for 43% of respondents; Instagram 11.9%, YouTube 11.2%, TikTok 10.6% and AI tools 9.8%.
- 72% of people who find a product on TikTok then search for it on Google, and only 7% buy directly on TikTok.
- Google dominates skincare and ingredient questions; YouTube leads for makeup tutorials; TikTok is nearly competitive only for dupes and alternatives.
- Age matters: among respondents in their 20s, Google and AI tools tied at 24% as a first stop.
- No sampling method, field dates or margin of error were reported, so read the numbers as directional.
What the survey found
Reilly Phelps wrote the Search Engine Land article on 7 October 2026. The sample was 511 beauty consumers surveyed "earlier this year", with an average age of 47 and the biggest groups in their 40s and 50s. Respondents described what they did the last time they found a product they were curious about.
First stop by platform
| First stop for beauty questions | Share of respondents |
|---|---|
| 43% | |
| 11.9% | |
| YouTube | 11.2% |
| TikTok | 10.6% |
| AI tools | 9.8% |
The 57% headline is simply 100% minus Google's 43%. It does not mean 57% have abandoned Google. Many of those people still use Google later in the journey.
First stop by age, as reported
- 20s: Google 24%, AI tools 24%, TikTok 20%
- 30s: Google 39%, TikTok 16%, Instagram 16%
- 40s: Google 45%
- 50s: Google 43%
- 60s: Google 50%
Source: the same Search Engine Land piece. The age split is the part that should change your planning. The older the audience, the more Google dominates; the younger, the more it shares first-stop duty.
The cross-platform behaviour
This is the most useful part of the report for SEO:
- 72% of consumers who find a product on TikTok then search for it on Google. Only 7% buy directly on TikTok.
- 41% sometimes search TikTok instead of Google for beauty questions; 15% do so often. In their 20s, 40% do so often or always.
- When they can't find what they need on TikTok or YouTube, 61% fall back to Google.
- 47.7% typically complete beauty purchases on Amazon.
- 59.5% use AI at some point in the search, usually mid-journey rather than first.
The author's own summary line: "The platforms aren't replacing each other. They're dividing up the work."
Read the survey critically
I would not quote the 57% without these caveats.
- Conflict of interest. The author works at the firm that ran the survey. She says so, which is good practice, but it is still a marketing study.
- Methodology gaps. The article gives no field dates, sampling method or margin of error.
- Sample skew. An average age of 47 is older than many beauty marketing audiences. Google would be expected to perform better with this group.
- Self-reported behaviour. People describe "the last time", which relies on memory.
- One category. Beauty is visual and creator-driven. Do not apply it to B2B software or insurance.
Compare it with other numbers in circulation. A Greenpark Digital survey of 1,300 UK beauty consumers, covered in Global Cosmetic Industry in November 2024, found 57% used Google among platforms, with YouTube at 45%, Instagram 39%, Facebook 35% and TikTok 33%, and 10% using AI chatbots for beauty. That figure is platform usage, not first stop, and a different year and market, so the two should not be compared directly. Greenpark's own results page summarises it.
For a cross-industry view, Search Engine Land reported in January 2026 on an Eight Oh Two study of 500 consumers who actively use AI tools: 37% start searches with AI instead of traditional search. Note that this sample was selected for AI use, so it is not a representative figure for all consumers.
Other beauty-search research exists if you want to triangulate, though I have not opened these in full: Tinuiti's 2025 Beauty Marketing Study, Think with Google's beauty shopper research (older, Google-published) and Lily AI's 2025 beauty survey. Each has its own sample and bias, so compare methods before comparing numbers.
What this means for SEO
The lesson is not "SEO is dead." It is "Google is often the second stop."
Google is where intent gets validated
If 72% of TikTok finders search Google next, your branded and product searches are doing heavy lifting. Make sure someone searching your product name, a shade name or a creator's recommendation finds clear, trustworthy pages.
Ingredient and skincare queries remain a Google stronghold
The survey says Google dominates skincare and ingredient questions by a wide margin. That is where evidence-led content earns visibility: ingredient explainers, concentration ranges, who it suits, who should avoid it. Beauty is close to a YMYL area when you make skin-health claims. My notes on healthcare marketing and YMYL in AI search apply.
Dupes and alternatives belong in video
TikTok is nearly competitive with Google for dupes. If you sell a product people compare, publish comparison content in both places and link them.
AI tools sit mid-journey
Only 9.8% start with AI, but 59.5% use it at some stage. Being cited in AI answers is therefore a mid-funnel play. To understand citations, see what is an AI citation.
A cross-platform content plan
Here is how I would use the finding without over-reading it.
Step 1: Map your journey with your own data
Check Search Console branded queries, GA4 referral paths and a short post-purchase survey asking "Where did you first hear of us?" Your customers beat any industry survey.
Step 2: Pair every discovery asset with a landing page
If a TikTok or Reel shows a product, publish a matching page with the same name, ingredients, usage, and FAQs, and make it easy to find on Google.
Step 3: Own your names
Check that your brand name, hero product names and common misspellings return your pages. This matters more when people hear a name on social and type it into Google.
Step 4: Build creator-friendly assets
Provide ingredient lists, shade charts and usage guides that creators can cite. Those same pages serve Google and AI tools.
Step 5: Track the assist
Add UTM parameters on creator and bio links, and look at assisted conversions, not only last-click. If social starts the journey and Google closes it, last-click will under-credit social and over-credit search.
Step 6: Review quarterly
Redo your own audience research every quarter. Platform behaviour in beauty shifts fast.
For Instagram and LinkedIn in particular, I compare approaches in my organic growth plan for Q4 2026. My experience with organic social growth includes the Instagram and LinkedIn work at Masai School, where I was part of the team (a disclosure, since it is my client history).
What I would not conclude
- That Google traffic will fall by 57%. The survey does not measure traffic.
- That every category behaves like beauty.
- That TikTok converts directly. The report says only 7% buy there.
- That AI tools are the new front door for everyone. They lead only among a minority and a younger cohort.
Bottom line
As of 9 October 2026, the evidence supports a modest, practical claim: beauty research is spread across platforms, with Google still the largest first stop and the most common second stop. Plan for a journey, not a platform.
FAQ
Does the 57% mean people have stopped using Google?
No. Google was the first stop for 43%, the biggest single platform in the survey. The 57% is everyone who started elsewhere, and 61% of those who can't find answers on TikTok or YouTube go to Google.
Who ran the survey?
Stella Rising ran it, and the Search Engine Land author is an SEO manager at the firm. She discloses this.
How big was the sample?
511 beauty consumers with an average age of 47, surveyed earlier in 2026. Exact field dates and methodology were not reported.
Does this apply to other industries?
Not without testing. Beauty is visual, creator-driven and often influenced by social proof. Treat it as a case study.
How many people start with AI tools?
9.8% overall, and 24% among respondents in their 20s. Over half, 59.5%, use AI at some point in the journey.
Should I move budget from SEO to TikTok?
Not on this evidence alone. Look at your own customer path data first. The survey suggests TikTok drives discovery that then flows to Google.
Where do people actually buy?
47.7% typically buy beauty products on Amazon, per the survey. Only 7% of TikTok finders buy directly on TikTok.
How should I measure cross-platform journeys?
Combine branded search trends, UTM-tagged links, assisted conversions and a "how did you hear about us" question at checkout.
Is the 37% AI-first figure from another study comparable?
No. That Eight Oh Two study sampled 500 people who actively use AI tools, so it is not a general-population number.
Want help with this?
I'm Younus Fardeen, an organic growth, SEO and AEO strategist with 4+ years of marketing experience across edtech and startup teams. If you want help mapping your customers' journey across search, social and AI, see my work and reach me through the contact form at younusfardeen.in.