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Search engines rank top among consumers according to study
Search engines are now the most popular way for people to find information, but the majority of individuals still buy offline, research has shown.
The poll, conducted by comScore on behalf of local search marketing agency TMP Directional Marketing (TMPDM), found that 31 per cent of people use search engines to hunt down information, overtaking the Yellow Pages print directory by one per cent.
However, the research has also discovered that people are still buying offline, with 32 per cent of people following up their searches by paying a visit to companies.
Gregg Stewart, senior vice-president of interactive for TMPDM, said: "Additionally, marketers need to pay close attention to mobile search and sites that offer consumer user reviews, as they are growing in popularity."
A report by the Internet Advertising Bureau revealed that online advertising is growing so rapidly that it is sustaining more traditional channels of marketing.
Microsoft News posted on 10 October 2008
Comments
Watch out for social networks getting mapped into search
People relying on online methods over off-line, like Yellow Pages, is set to grow even more.
I have long been looking forward to a point where your social graph — the network of friends you have through online social networks — gets mapped into search, so you can also see when looking for a business which of those that comes back is endorsed by people you know. This would add the power of referral to the enormous database of business the web already provides.
We are already doing this on a small scale at WeCanDo.BIZ. Whether we'll grow to provide it, or whether similar functionality will get built into Yahoo!, for example, I don't know. But the innovation will be exciting and valuable!
Ian Hendry
CEO, WeCanDo.BIZ
Comment posted by Anonymous on 13/10/2008 08:30:00
Sample size?
What is the sample population of this poll?
I don't and won't cite bits like this until I know the poll was based on sound numbers and methodology.
Comment posted by Anonymous on 13/10/2008 19:27:00
Re:Sample size?
TMPDM and comScore polled 3,000 US adults in July 2008. The Local Search Usage Study included observed behaviour (such as visits to search engines and directories on the internet).
Comment posted by The Editor on 14/10/2008 10:53:00
