Search now an Internet Lifestyle, No. 2 after e-mail
Tiny URL: http://tinyurl.com/6qer3z
According to a report released by the Pew Internet Project, search is now the 2nd top activity after e-mail for daily internet users. Also, the percentage of internet users who use search engines on a typical day has been steadily rising from about one-third of all users in 2002, to a new high of just under one-half (49%).
With this increase, the number of those using a search engine on a typical day is pulling ever closer to the 60% of internet users who use email, arguably the internet’s all-time killer app, on a typical day.
It can be theorized that this change could be due to a multitude of factors
- We trust the internet now more than ever for seeking information. An internet search on a topic reveals so many website, divergent opinions that it satisfies basic human curiosity ( not the one that killed the cat!) and desire to learn new things.
- A large number of websites now incorporate a search engine ( one of the points mentioned in the report )
- Search is no longer limited to text and articles. People routinely search for video’s pictures and music. With an explosion of media sites, search for daily entertainment is growing. Add gaming news and gaming sites into the mix, search is making a lot more sense to a wider audience.
- People are getting more comfortable with buying things online and when people buy online, they search online for deals and compare purchase options.
- Growth of broadband has made internet access more responsive and more real-time in nature. So users are starting to open to other internet applications. ( another key factor apparently per the report ).
55% of American homes have a highspeed internet connection. Of all the demographic variables we analyzed, the presence of a home broadband connection had the strongest relationship with a user’s propensity to use a search engine on a typical day.
So what do you think? Why is search becoming part of our Internet Lifestyle?
