Facts and Figures: Web surfers learn that multi-word searches yield more specific information, save browsing time |
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Surfing
the web has evolved into a more sophisticated process these days as people
are searching more with multi-word phrases than with just one or two words.
According to a study released this summer and reported in MediaPost’s
SearchInsider, search engine queries of one or two words are on the decline,
while searches with longer phrases are on the increase.
The study by a Dutch Web analytics company, OneStat.com, found that one-
and two-word phrases still account for 46.7% of all searches, but that
the number is down 10% just since February. Five- to seven-word search
phrases now account for nearly 11% of searches, a figure that is up from
9% since February.
Even casual web users are learning that using more words in their searches
saves them valuable time. For example, rather than typing in “shoes,”
the smart web surfer will type in a more exact description of what she’s
looking for, like “brown suede baby doll pumps 7AAAA.” That
search is going to deliver a more specific result within a shorter browsing
time, or it’s going to tell her more quickly if those shoes are
not available anywhere on the web.
So what does this mean for marketers? The MediaPost article concluded
that longer queries underscore how users are placing a greater amount
of trust in searching. With potentially millions in sales at stake, marketers
need to reevaluate the key words they have set up for their web sites
and pay close attention to what their competitors are doing on the Internet
as well.
An integrated marketing company with interactive media capabilities can
help businesses sort through the web marketing maze by performing a competitive
analysis. In its competitive search engine review, MillerWhite, LLC reviews
six features of its clients’ competing web sites, including metatags
and response time, and provides that as a single analysis or as a part
of a complete web audit.
Whether your company is updating your web site or building a new site,
MillerWhite recommends the competitive search engine review as an important
first step.