TikTok Takes on Google Maps by Surfacing Reviews in Comments

04/16/2025 Social Media

TikTok is seriously stepping up its game! They're now rolling out a new feature that lets you see reviews for places directly within the comments section of a video. This is a big deal because it means you don't have to bounce over to Google or another search engine to find out what people think about a place you see on TikTok.

Imagine scrolling through your For You page and seeing an awesome video of Central Park. Now, instead of having to Google "Central Park reviews," you can just tap on the comments and see a new "Reviews" tab. Boom! You'll find star ratings, written reviews, and even photos uploaded by other TikTok users. Pretty slick, right?

What's cool is that you can also click on a reviewer's username and head straight to their TikTok profile. This is different from the previous Google Maps integration, which was marked with a Google Maps icon.

Of course, not everyone is going to love this. Some people might find it clutters up the comment section. But let's be real, TikTok is on a mission to become a one-stop shop for everything, and that includes search.

TikTok vs. Google: The Search Wars Heat Up

This move is just the latest salvo in TikTok's quest to challenge Google's dominance. Remember back in 2022 when a Google exec admitted that TikTok was eating into their Search and Maps usage, especially among younger folks? Well, TikTok hasn't slowed down since then.

Besides being a Gen Z go-to for finding places, TikTok also added image search last year. You can snap a photo or upload one to find similar products in TikTok Shop. And in September 2024, they started letting advertisers target their search results page with "TikTok Search Ads Campaigns," which is basically a way for brands to show ads based on keywords.

It's not clear if this "Reviews" tab is going to be a widespread feature, but the fact that TikTok is even testing it shows that they're serious about taking on Google in the search game. Whether or not it's a hit with users remains to be seen.