May 16 2008
Natural beats paid
Research finds consumers value the independence of natural search results above paid search results
The perceived independence of natural search results is the main reason they are chosen above paid search results according to almost two in three consumers surveyed in the 2008 Search Attitudes Report commissioned by Tamar, the search conversion agency. Consumers are continuing to place most trust in natural search results with more than nine out of ten consumers preferring to click on natural search links, a similar figure as revealed in the 2007 report.
The 2008 Search Attitudes Report reveals that over half (51%) of British consumers are now aware of the difference between natural and paid-for search results, an increase of eight% since 2007, and 91% prefer using natural search results when looking to buy a product or service. Although awareness has increased across the board since last year, there is still a clear generational divide with almost two in three (65%) of 16-24 year olds aware of the difference. This figure decreases gradually through the age groups with only 38% of over 55s being aware of the difference between paid and natural search.
The report indicates that sponsored links continue to suffer greatly from consumer scepticism with more than one in three consumers (31%) saying that they choose natural over paid results because they trust their search engine of choice to give them the most relevant results and almost one in five (18%) identifying extra information that accompanies natural search results (i.e. the text explaining the result) as a factor in choosing natural over paid search results. The importance of these factors was uniform across all generations, demonstrating a consensus of opinion brought by an increased understanding of paid and natural search.
Neil Jackson, Search Director, Tamar comments, “Consumer awareness of the difference between natural and paid search continues to increase and as it does so, paid search continues to suffer largely because of its perceived lack of independence. The fact that there has been alignment of opinion across gender and generation is a result of this increased understanding and it is more important than ever that brands move away from an over-reliance on paid search and implement a joined-up search strategy.”
Despite the rise of social media, review sites, affiliate and price comparison sites, search engines remain the consumer’s favourite starting point to make a purchase online. However, in an increasingly competitive online shopping environment, it is more important than ever that brands make sure that their websites are up to scratch as consumers are easily put off making a purchase online.
The 2008 Search Attitudes Report reveals that over half of consumers (51%) start with a search engine when looking to purchase from a retailer online and 42% start with a search engine when looking to make a travel purchase online. Women favour search engines more when it comes to retail purchases with 54% of women preferring to begin with a search engine in comparison with 46% of men. However, men are much more likely to use a price comparison site with 29% of men preferring to begin at a site like Kelkoo as opposed to just 18% of women. In contrast, no real gender divide exists when it comes to making a travel purchase online.
