(WEB HOST INDUSTRY REVIEW) — UK web hosting provider Fasthosts (www.fasthosts.co.uk) announced on Monday that it has released a new study which reveals that 71 percent of web users are unaware of how Internet search engine results are compiled.
Commissioned on behalf of Fasthosts, the Tickbox.Net-led “Online Search Matters Survey” asked 1,636 UK consumers about their day-to-day use of search engines. The study is released just in time for the busy holiday shopping season, where retailers often use search engine optimization to attract more online consumers.
The survey found that the majority of Brits either have no idea or an inaccurate view of how online search results are determined.
The study also found that consumers today have a strong preference for ‘organic’ or main search engine results over additional sponsored’ links, with 38 percent admitting that they typically ignore these links when they appear.
Some 97 percent of Brits say they frequently use search engines, only 29 percent are aware that search results are generated based on the search terms and optimisation techniques used by the individual website owners.
Additionally, 24 percent of respondents believe that the search listings they use cannot be affected by the publishers of websites listed, while 22 percent suspect that results are ordered entirely according to how much has been paid by the websites listed. Another 19 percent say they have no idea at all how results are compiled, and 5 percent believe that search listings are arranged completely at random.
Another interesting finding is that men had a significantly better understanding of search engines than women, with 33 percent correctly identifying how they work, as compared to only 26 percent of women.
Age also played a determing factor, with 30 percent of over 55 year olds having no idea at all, compared to only 7 percent of 16 to 24 year olds.
“It’s remarkable that the majority of Britons rely heavily on search engines but do not understand how they work,” says Steve Holford, CMO of Fasthosts Internet. “By knowing a little about how and why results are ordered, users can better determine which content will be of most value to them.”
Fasthosts’ research also found that British web surfers have significantly more trust in main search results over additional sponsored listings.
Some 33 percent of respondents believe these listings to be ‘less worthy’ and ‘less useful’ than main search results, while 66 percent report that they always pay attention first to main results. Additionally, 40 percent of women and 34 percent of men will consciously ignore sponsored links whenever they appear.
Finally, Eastern and central parts of England seemed to have the most sceptical views towards sponsored listings, with 45 percent of Norwich residents and 43 percent of Nottingham reisdents refusing to click on them, as compared to only 12 percent from Belfast.
When asked about their reliance on search engines, 12 percent of Belfast citizens report having never used a search engine to find a retailer as opposed to only 2 percent of more search-centric Londoners.
