Experian Hitwise just released one of their frequent reports on search engine usage and 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 or more word search strings increased up to 4% as compared to last year.
Most people seem to think that the increase is a function of people getting better at using search by adding more words so as to be more specific about what they’re looking for.
If you’re looking for a “dishwasher”, if you don’t add “Whirlpool kitchen undercounter” you might find a help wanted ad instead of a nearby place to buy a product. We’re all learning how to make search engines work better.
From the Hitwise Blog I found this chart which shows that we are, in fact, getting better.
Search Engine Success Rate is based on the number of searches that result in a click. Google is up 17.9% over last year to a significant 76.3% success rate. Since Google represents 71% of all search engine usage, this means a lot to consumers continued use of search engines in general and Google in particular. And, this should give us all comfort in continuing to invest in local search marketing.
Successful searches lead to increased sales and great ROIs, all good.