36% of search engine users associate top rankings with brand leadership
For a long time, marketers have understood the importance of being close to the top of search results. Now a recent survey shows that that importance is only growing in intensity. 36% of search engine users believe that the companies listed at the top of results are the top brands in their fields, according to a new study conducted by Jupiter Research on behalf of iProspect. That's up slightly from 33% in 2002.
The "iProspect Search Engine User Behavior Study" also found that 62% of search engine users click on a search result within the first page of results vs. 48% in 2002, and 90% click on a result within the first three pages vs. 81% in 2002.
Of search engine users who continue their search when not finding what they seek, 41% will change engines or change their search term if they don’t find what they seek on the first page of results, up from 28% in 2002, according to the study.
In addition, 88% of users will change engines or search terms if they don’t find what they seek within the first three pages of search results, up from 78% in 2002.
“This study clearly shows the increased importance of being found in the top search results,” says Robert Murray, iProspect president. “If your site is not found on the first page—or within the first three pages of search results—you might as well be putting up a billboard in the woods.”
Jupiter Research based the report on a January survey of 2,369 individuals from the Ipsos U.S. online consumer panel.
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