Search Engine Users’ Behavior when searching on internet
According to new research in 2006;
“The iProspect Search Engine User Behavior Study” reveals that 62% of search engine users click on a search result within the first page of results, and a full 90% of users click on a result within the first three pages of search results. These figures were just 48% and 81%, respectively, in 2002.
The findings of this search engine marketing study are significant, both in terms of the behavior of the search engine user community today, as well as user trends over the last four years. Search engine marketers should take note of these findings and the implications to their businesses that are detailed within the study.
Other high-level findings include:
- 36% of search engine users believe that the companies whose websites are returned at the top of the search results are the top brands in their field. This represents a modest increase over the 2002 figure of 33%, but still reinforces the increasing importance search can have on brand lift.
- 41% of search engine users who continue their search when not finding what they seek, will change engines or change their search term if they don’t find what they seek on the first page of search results. This figure was 28% in 2002.
- Additionally, fully 88% of search engine users who continue their search when not finding what they seek, will change engines or change their search term if they don’t find what they seek on the first three pages of search results. This figure was 78% in 2002.
- 82% of search engine users re-launch an unsuccessful search using the same search engine as they used for their initial search, but add more keywords to refine the subsequent search. This figure was just 68% in 2002.
