Search Engine Marketing Firm iProspect Study Finds Blended Search Dominates User Preference for Selecting News, Image, and Video Results
BOSTON, MA, April 7, 2008 — Search engine marketing firm iProspect today
published the
iProspect Blended Search Results Study. Sponsored by iProspect and conducted by JupiterResearch,
the study reveals that in the case of news, image, and video results, search engine users click
specialized content within general search results more than they do within vertical search results.
Within the last year Google, Yahoo!, and MSN have all begun returning "blended" results for some
percentage of the searches that users conduct, where a combination of one or more specialized
search result types, such as news, images, and videos, appear along with traditional Web pages
on the search results page. Prior to Google's launch of what it initially called "Universal Search"
in May of 2007, such specialized content was only returned as a result of a specifically targeted
"vertical" search.
Amongst its key findings, the study shows:
36% of search engines user click "news" results within blended search results, while only
17% click a "news" result after conducting a news-specific search
31% of search engine users click "image" results within blended search results, while
26% click an "image" result after conducting an image-specific search
17% of search engine users click "video" results within blended search results, while only
10% click a "video" result after conducting a video-specific search
While images are the most clicked type of result after a vertical-specific search, news
items are the most clicked type of result within blended search results
Aversion to vertical search is nothing new as search engine users have shunned its functionality
for years. So much so that the verticals' hidden-in-plain-site status earned them the moniker of
"invisible tabs" by search marketers, and relegated their content to anything but a valuable
digital asset. But the development of blended search has changed all that, and this newly published
study quantifies the dramatic difference in users' propensity to click specialized results within
blended search results compared to that in the vertical search results.
"Since users have historically ignored the vertical offerings of the major search engines, a marketer
might conclude that users aren't interested in that type of content, and as a result, not invest in
producing or optimizing digital assets," said Robert Murray, President, iProspect. "But that would
be a mistake — the findings of this study make that quite clear. Marketers have a great
opportunity to claim more search shelf space by optimizing their news, image, and video assets."
And industry observers agree. "Last year was revolutionary in how blended search suddenly became
the norm," said Danny Sullivan, editor-in-chief of the highly-regarded industry website
SearchEngineLand.com. "But despite the
change, some marketers are still ignoring vertical search. That's a mistake, as these vertical areas
provide entirely new and valuable ways to jump into the main search results. And as the study shows,
you not only get into the main results but you stand out there, more."
The study also revealed some trends in users' behavior derived from earlier iProspect studies in
2004 (Strategem Research), and 2002 (Vote.com) in
regard to the first page of search results:
68% of search engine users typically click results on the first page of search results, compared
to 62% in 2006, and 60% in 2004
Only 8% of search engine users review more than the first three pages prior to clicking on a result
49% of search engine users who continue their search when not finding what they are looking for
change and/or re-launch their search after reviewing just the first page of search results, up from
40% in 2006, and 42% in 2004
37% of online users associate appearance at the top of search results with a company's leadership
within its industry or category, up slightly from 35% in 2006 and 33% in 2002.
Overall, the findings of the study have clear implications for marketers. Specifically, that appearance
on the first page of search results continues to gain importance, both from a traffic-generating
perspective as well as a branding perspective. In addition, those organizations with a diverse portfolio
of digital assets are best positioned to capitalize on the benefits provided by blended search. Those
who have not invested in developing and optimizing such assets should make it a priority to do so.
"Blended search allows marketers to capitalize on their digital assets without the need to affect a
change in user behavior," said Murray. "It essentially brings a variety of content types to users —
where they are most comfortable and open to receiving it — and allows them to choose between
the various result types. On top of that, it increases a marketers' available inventory and their
chances of being found amongst the clutter."
Murray summarized, "The bottom line is that companies that have optimized a variety of digital
assets will have a distinct advantage. Those who lack such assets will essentially forfeit page real
estate to their competitors."
Questions regarding this release should be directed to iProspect Media Relations
Manager, Colleen Reed, at 1–800–522–1152 x1203 or
colleen.reed@iprospect.com.
