garyp
08-02-2004, 10:44 AM
MSN has released the results of a new study (conducted by Harris Interactive) about what people are searching for on the web. Some of the results are available in this news release. About 2200 people were surveyed via the telephone.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/040802/sfm032_1.html
Many of the findings revealed that users often revert to type when they search online, and their search engine habits reflect their age, gender or geography:
-- New Yorkers were most likely among respondents to search for news on
investments.
-- Searchers in Los Angeles were more likely to focus on entertainment.
-- Generation Xers, perhaps the first generation to embrace the Internet
revolution, were more likely to search for blind dates and pursue
romantic interests when online.
-- Baby Boomers, on the other hand, were more likely to search for health
and weather information and recipes.
-- Mature adults (age 59 and older) were more likely to search on ancestry
or family history topics as well as research their investments.
-- Young adults were more likely to use search engines to research
education and careers as well as to look up a friend.
-- Men, somewhat predictably, were more likely than women to look up
automobiles and technology and science topics.
-- Women were more likely than men to search for information on health and
fashion as well as celebrity news and scandals.
Although anecdotal evidence reveals that most Americans are familiar with and use search engines regularly, the MSN-Harris Interactive survey revealed the extent to which users now rely on the technology. Almost half (48 percent) of respondents confirmed they use search engines at least once a day, and over two-thirds (69 percent) said that search engines are the fastest way to get the information they are looking for. The results established that users turn to search engines to get all kinds of news and information, on topics ranging from the war and the presidential race to celebrity gossip, and even to search for long-lost friends.
Not unexpected, the news release goes on to hype MSN's new but yet to debut technology.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/040802/sfm032_1.html
Many of the findings revealed that users often revert to type when they search online, and their search engine habits reflect their age, gender or geography:
-- New Yorkers were most likely among respondents to search for news on
investments.
-- Searchers in Los Angeles were more likely to focus on entertainment.
-- Generation Xers, perhaps the first generation to embrace the Internet
revolution, were more likely to search for blind dates and pursue
romantic interests when online.
-- Baby Boomers, on the other hand, were more likely to search for health
and weather information and recipes.
-- Mature adults (age 59 and older) were more likely to search on ancestry
or family history topics as well as research their investments.
-- Young adults were more likely to use search engines to research
education and careers as well as to look up a friend.
-- Men, somewhat predictably, were more likely than women to look up
automobiles and technology and science topics.
-- Women were more likely than men to search for information on health and
fashion as well as celebrity news and scandals.
Although anecdotal evidence reveals that most Americans are familiar with and use search engines regularly, the MSN-Harris Interactive survey revealed the extent to which users now rely on the technology. Almost half (48 percent) of respondents confirmed they use search engines at least once a day, and over two-thirds (69 percent) said that search engines are the fastest way to get the information they are looking for. The results established that users turn to search engines to get all kinds of news and information, on topics ranging from the war and the presidential race to celebrity gossip, and even to search for long-lost friends.
Not unexpected, the news release goes on to hype MSN's new but yet to debut technology.