Research reveals search engine ignorance
Search Engines
15 December 2008
A new survey has suggested that Britons do not know how search engines operate when it comes to ranking websites.
While 97 per cent of those polled by Tickbox for Fasthosts said they regularly used search engines, fewer than three in ten respondents knew that rankings depend on both search engine optimisation and the relevance of websites to the user's query.
About 22 per cent said they thought websites paid search engines to be ranked highly, while five per cent said they believed rankings were random, like a lottery.
The research also suggested that firms would do well to focus their internet marketing efforts on search engine optimisation, as one in three respondents thought pay-per-click ads were less useful than organic listings.
"Search engines comprise an invaluable link between consumers and retailers," commented Steve Holford of Fasthosts.
"Web users who can better interpret search engine results will often enjoy a more meaningful online experience."
Last month, Google launched SearchWiki, which lets users re-rank, remove and comment on results.
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