Search is (Still) King: Pew Internet Survey (Part 1)

Elliot Kort

Category: Strategy

08.11.2011

A recent study conducted by Pew Internet – of the Pew Research Center – examined which activities dominate American Internet usage. The survey found 92% of online adults use search engines, and 59% use search engines daily. Use of search engines matches up almost perfectly with use of email platforms. Next week, we’ll look at how these numbers enforce the significance of email, but in Part One let’s look at what these survey results mean for those trying to connect with audiences online.

The study tells us that search engines have not only retained their importance, but expanded it. Engagement with sites like Google, Yahoo and Bing (from a percentage standpoint) has remained constant as overall web traffic increased. Put plainly, use of search engines continues to grow as Internet audiences also grow. The pool of possible activists, customers, voters and advocates continues to grow each and every day.

So what to do with this information? Embrace tools that embrace search engines. Google has a number of platforms we here at NJI Media use every day (including Analytics and AdWords) that not only provide quality insights into traffic and focused advertising opportunities, but also tap into the search engine’s key offering: information about how people search. Examining that information puts us one step closer to understanding how users view our clients and what we can do to connect the two.

We already knew how crucial search engines are in the everyday success of online marketing. This latest Pew study only strengthens those beliefs. Nearly everyone on the Internet searches on a regular basis. We just need to be smart about how we reach out to them.

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