Hajra Naz
Instagram is ramping up efforts to improve its search functionality, with head Adam Mosseri admitting the platform has room to grow, especially as Gen Z increasingly turns to TikTok for answers instead of traditional search engines.
Speaking on the “Build Your Tribe” podcast, Mosseri said Instagram is now actively investing in better search capabilities. He acknowledged
“There’s so much amazing content, but content search—actually looking for a specific type of content—isn’t very good right now,”.
He added that Instagram’s search team had been relatively small, but Meta is now reinforcing it with more resources to roll out improvements over time.
The goal?
Make content easier to find—not just accounts. Mosseri emphasized that better search would also benefit creators, helping their content resurface beyond the initial 24–48 hours of posting.
This shift comes as younger users rely less on Google and more on social platforms for discovery. A 2024 Bernstein Research report found that 45% of Gen Z users prefer searching on social media, while a HerCampus study revealed that 51% of them favor TikTok over Google for search, largely due to its video format.
Instagram isn’t far behind, with some studies placing it above Google as Gen Z’s preferred search tool. But the race is tight, and Mosseri’s remarks show that Meta understands search is the next big battleground, not just social networking.
Interestingly, he also noted that most non-creators don’t post daily to the Feed, which is now more of a public space, while personal interactions happen via Stories and DMs.
Instagram is also eyeing improvements in search suggestions, particularly in comment sections. TikTok already surfaces suggested searches based on what users are discussing in comments, and Instagram plans to do the same. Mosseri said, hinting that a new version of Instagram with this feature is coming soon.
“Often, the most valuable context is in the comments—not the video itself,”
