[article] Search users 'stop at page three'

From : http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4900742.stm

Most people using a search engine expect to find what they are looking
for on the first page of results, says a US study.
At most, people will go through three pages of results before giving
up, found the survey by Jupiter Research and marketing firm iProspect.

It also found that a third of users linked companies in the first page
of results with top brands.

The study surveyed 2,369 people from a US online consumer panel.

It also found 62% of those surveyed clicked on a result on the first
page, up from 48% in 2002.

Some 90% of consumers clicked on a link in these pages, up from 81% in
2002.

And 41% of consumers changed engines or their search term if they did
not find what they were searching for on the first page.

Effective marketing

Robert Murray, president of iProspect, said the study shows the
"increased importance of being found in the first top search results".
He added as search engine efficacy has improved, along with the
searching skills of users, so have expectations.

"They [users] know what they want, and they want to find it
immediately, and the majority want to find it on page one," he said.

He said businesses needed to take the results of the study on board.

"It should be clear that to be effective, marketers need to take
action to ensure that their company is found in the top search results
on a broad range of search terms and not just single word generic
terms."

"It's time that companies that are refreshing, re-designing, or
launching a new website start with the end in mind. If no one can find
it, no one will use it."

Increasing traffic

Danny Sullivan, editor in chief of Search Engine Watch, said the study
reinforced current thinking.

"It's always been the case that businesses want to be on the first
page because then you get the traffic," he told the BBC News website.

"This study tells me it was already important to be on the first page,
now it is even more so.

"It's another call for search engines to look at their performance."

He said businesses wanting to improve their chances of returning good
results should have "good pages, text rich content, and good links
pointing to you".





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__/ [ Paul B ] on Wednesday 12 April 2006 10:36 \__

From : http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4900742.stm

Most people using a search engine expect to find what they are looking
for on the first page of results, says a US study.
At most, people will go through three pages of results before giving
up, found the survey by Jupiter Research and marketing firm iProspect.

It also found that a third of users linked companies in the first page
of results with top brands.

The study surveyed 2,369 people from a US online consumer panel.

I read about it last week and found it unsurprising. If I recall correctly,
Borek confirmed that about 75% of the people will not go past page 1, so
anything that falls short of the top 10 is peanuts compared with the
worthwhile 'gold mine'.

Now, if only more users, who sure have fast connections, bothered to extend
the number of results they are delivered per page (I get 50 from Google and
100 from Scroogle, which I rarely use). This wouldn't take much longer to
generate and deliver. The difference is marginal and makes it worthwhile
(time-wise) for those who sometimes click 'next'. The cost is bandwidth and
datacentre rigour. The benefit to all is better services (i.e. advancement).

Best wishes,

Roy

--
Roy S. Schestowitz
http://Schestowitz.com | SuSE Linux ¦ PGP-Key: 0x74572E8E
3:00am up 43 days 16:43, 6 users, load average: 1.60, 1.25, 1.10
http://iuron.com - help build a non-profit search engine

On Fri, 21 Apr 2006 04:06:58 +0200, Roy Schestowitz
<newsgroups (AT) schestowitz (DOT) com> wrote:

Now, if only more users, who sure have fast connections, bothered to
extend
the number of results they are delivered per page (I get 50 from Google
and
100 from Scroogle, which I rarely use). This wouldn't take much longer to
generate and deliver. The difference is marginal and makes it worthwhile
(time-wise) for those who sometimes click 'next'. The cost is bandwidth
and
datacentre rigour. The benefit to all is better services (i.e.
advancement).

You aware of the fact results served for num=100 are different from the
ones served for num=10?

Welcome back

Best,
Borek
--
http://www.chembuddy.com
http://www.ph-meter.info/pH
http://www.terapia-kregoslupa.waw.pl

__/ [ Borek ] on Friday 21 April 2006 08:18 \__

On Fri, 21 Apr 2006 04:06:58 +0200, Roy Schestowitz
newsgroups (AT) schestowitz (DOT) com> wrote:

Now, if only more users, who sure have fast connections, bothered to
extend
the number of results they are delivered per page (I get 50 from Google
and
100 from Scroogle, which I rarely use). This wouldn't take much longer to
generate and deliver. The difference is marginal and makes it worthwhile
(time-wise) for those who sometimes click 'next'. The cost is bandwidth
and
datacentre rigour. The benefit to all is better services (i.e.
advancement).

You aware of the fact results served for num=100 are different from the
ones served for num=10?

I never realised that. Thanks for that valuable nugget of information.

Welcome back

Thanks, Borek. *smile*

With kind regards,

Roy


--
Roy S. Schestowitz | "Did anyone see my lost carrier?"
http://Schestowitz.com | SuSE Linux ¦ PGP-Key: 0x74572E8E
8:30am up 43 days 22:13, 7 users, load average: 0.49, 0.59, 0.68
http://iuron.com - help build a non-profit search engine

On Fri, 21 Apr 2006 09:32:04 +0200, Roy Schestowitz
<newsgroups (AT) schestowitz (DOT) com> wrote:

You aware of the fact results served for num=100 are different from the
ones served for num=10?

I never realised that. Thanks for that valuable nugget of information.

I found it on my own, but John posted it earlier

In Poland we are calling it "to pry open door open"

Best,
Borek
--
http://www.chembuddy.com
http://www.ph-meter.info/pH
http://www.terapia-kregoslupa.waw.pl