Search Engine Users have little patience

20. Aug 2007

An international US-study made by Jupiter Research http://www.jupiterresearch.com shows that most people stop clicking on the first three pages of search results. Whereas 48 % of the investigated users in 2002 clicked on the first page of the search result, there are 62% doing the same today. 41 percent even change the search engine or the search term if they do not find what they are looking for on the first page of search results.

It is therefore increasingly important for companies to appear on the first pages of the search result. “The first page is the eye-catcher. In order to get there, companies have two possibilities”, explains Volker Glaeser, Director Media and Search at Yahoo Germany http://www.yahoo.de, in an interview with pressetext. In the optimum situation, both possibilities should be used. On one hand, there is the good algorithmic positioning in normal listing that is achieved when the website contains really relevant information. “On the other hand, companies should place paid keywords, the socalled sponsored links”, says Glaeser.

It is also of decisive importance that a website contains substantial information for the key subject. “A company that wants to sell sun shades, but mainly offers snow tyres, must be aware that his website won’t be listed highly on the index”, so Glaeser. The user mostly knows what he is looking for and wants to find it at the first go. Companies aspire to get on the first page, because only then they will reach the necessary clicks.

Yahoo attaches great importance to work on the relevancy of search results, so Glaeser. “This is an ongoing process, due to the dynamics in industry.” Companies listed at the very front must fill their pages with substantial content and good links. If you want to place a website at the front with ponsored links, you must try to understand the user. Because the user will open the page or make a transaction only if the site offers relevant content and subjects in clear manner of representation.