Is Google still the front door to the internet?

For years, finding a endeavor meant beginning Google. Now group additionally commencement on TikTok, Instagram, Reddit, YouTube, maps, and AI assistants, depending on their age and what they need. Among Gen Z adults, 19% commencement a merchandise hunt on TikTok, additional than twice the charge of all adults.

But Google is not going anywhere, and neither is the humble endeavor website. A new Hostinger study of 1,014 US adults established that hunt is motionless the most average archetypal stop, most group motionless circle rear to a company’s own site, and a endeavor you cannot discover online barely makes the shortlist.

Here is anywhere group really start, whenever they roam off to AI and social, and why your website motionless closes the deal.

Key takeaways

• Nearly 1 in 5 Gen Z (19%) commencement on TikTok whenever buying for products, additional than twice all adults.
• More than 1 in 10 consumers (12%) chose their most latest endeavor without using Google at any point.
• Nearly 1 in 3 consumers (30%) who used AI alternatively of Google did so since Google wasn’t assisting them discover what they needed.
• Even among group who used the two Google and AI, Google was the additional helpful of the two (38% vs 26%).
• About 2 in 3 Gen Z (66%) rely a business’s Reddit or TikTok reviews additional than its website or Google reviews.
• Only 6% would publish a endeavor that an AI recommends without checking item else.
• Over 2 in 5 consumers (44%) would perspective a endeavor as small trustworthy and would apt choose a competitor if they couldn’t discover its website.

Where Americans commencement looking for a business

Google is the top starting item in seven of eight categories, but Gen Z starts on social for products and travel, and AI is a archetypal halt for healthcare and finance.

Google was the most average starting item in seven of eight mundane categories, from restaurants to expert services, and whenever group named the sole phase they depend on most, 45% picked Google, additional than five times the next choice.

Search has company, though. In the final three months, group additionally established businesses through word of mouth (46%), maps and Facebook (33% each), Instagram (32%), and AI assistants (28%).

AI assistants are already a genuine starting item for certain needs. People rotate to AI most for healthcare (17%), financial data (16%) and tutorials (14%), which makes it the second most average archetypal halt for health and prosperity questions, rearward lone Google. For restaurants, fair 3% commencement alongside AI.

For businesses in those fields, AI hunt optimization is value an effort, since it affects whether assistants citation you at all.

And whenever group wanted a genuine person’s take, nearly 1 in 4 (24%) went to Reddit first.

The sharpest distinct is generational. Gen Z are far additional apt to commencement on social or video for certain categories: 29% commencement a merchandise hunt there, compared alongside fair 4% of boomers, and journey looks much the identical (28% versus 5%).

Nearly 1 in 5 Gen Z (19%) commencement a merchandise hunt on TikTok specifically, additional than twice the charge of all adults, and that skews heavily female, reaching 38% of Gen Z women.

Older shoppers motionless default to Google nearly everywhere, so the genuine narrative is that younger group go social-first for products and travel, during the remainder of the map stays search-first.

When group hunt beyond Google

65% of adults have remaining Google’s results for Reddit or TikTok, yet 88% motionless used Google at several item whenever choosing their most latest business.

About 2 in 3 (65%) have remaining Google’s results for Reddit or TikTok since Google wasn’t helping, and among Gen Z that climbs to 4 in 5 (80%). The habit cools alongside age, from 80% of Gen Z to 72% of millennials, 52% of Gen X and 41% of boomers.

AI assistants have rotate into a normal part of the mix too: 93% of group have gotten a endeavor advice from one, and that is fair as true for boomers (96%) as for Gen Z (88%).

Among group who used the two Google and an AI aide to choose a business, Google motionless came out ahead: 38% established it additional helpful, versus 26% for the AI, and another 36% established them concerning the same.

Nearly 1 in 3 (30%) who reached for AI alternatively of Google did so merely since Google wasn’t surfacing what they needed.

Here is the twist: group fold these tools into their investigation fairly than hand complete the decision. Only 6% would do endeavor alongside a brand based solely on an AI recommendation, without checking item else. Businesses portion that caution, alongside inaccuracy now the most-cited AI hazard in our latest LLM statistics.

Google is motionless the hub that nearly everyone passes through, used by 88% at several phase of choosing their most latest business.

A smaller collection skips hunt entirely, alongside more than 1 in 10 (12%) choosing their most latest endeavor without always using Google.

Why your website motionless closes the deal

When group can’t discover a business’s website, 7 in 10 (70%) see it as small legitimate, and 44% would apt choose a competitor.

The reply is strongest among older adults: 64% of boomers would choose a competitor complete a endeavor alongside no findable website, fine complete the 40%-45% range for younger generations.

About 1 in 3 small businesses motionless run without a website, according to Hostinger’s small endeavor statistics.

The website is additionally what group appearance for whenever they double-check item they established on AI or social media. Among those who circle rear to Google following starting elsewhere, 55% are looking for the business’s authoritative website.

The location has to provision formerly they arrive. When particulars were missing or didn’t row up, 32% of the 87% who ran into that matter merely chose a distinct business.

Social evidence carries importance too, particularly for the young: concerning 2 in 3 Gen Z (66%) rely a business’s Reddit or TikTok reviews additional than its own website or Google reviews, although that rely falls alongside age, to fractional of millennials (50%) and about 1 in 3 Gen X (32%) and boomers (31%).

The forefront entrance has additional doors than ever

People now discover businesses through search, social, and AI, but many motionless inspect the website before choosing. A endeavor without one risks looking small legitimate, and one alongside missing or mismatched particulars risks losing the client to a competitor.

If you don’t have a website yet, Hostinger AI Builder generates a archetypal type from a clarification of what you do, which you can additional edit, enhance alongside AI tools, and publish – hosting is included.

Methodology

In October 2026, Hostinger surveyed 1,014 US adults old 18 and older concerning anywhere they detect businesses online, anywhere they commencement their search, and whenever they sojourn a business’s website before deciding.

Respondents were grouped by generation using Pew Research Center age bands as of 2026: Gen Z (18 to 29) at 18%, millennials (30 to 45) at 46%, Gen X (46 to 61) at 27%, and baby boomers (62 and older) at 9%. The average age was 42, and 53% were women, 46% men, and under 1% self-described or preferred not to say.

The border of error for the complete example is concerning ±3 percent points at a 95% confidence level. Subgroup results are directional and transport wider margins: concerning ±5 points for millennials, ±6 for Gen X, ±7 for Gen Z, and ±10 for baby boomers. Results are reported lone for groups of at smallest 5% of the sample.

All figures are self-reported and indicate stated attitudes and recalled behavior, not observed behavior. Percentages may not total 100% because of rounding.

Fair use statement

You’re greeted to portion the findings and visuals from this study for noncommercial purposes. Please trait the investigation to Hostinger and nexus rear to this leaf so readers can see the complete findings and methodology.