Studies

Studies

by Mike Masnick




Not All Search Engines Created Equally... In The Eyes Of Advertisers

from the gullibility-index dept

Users know that there are differences in the various search engines, but it would appear that search engine advertisers are beginning to recognize that there are differences in search engine users as well. A new study has looked at "conversion" rates -- the percentage of people who go from browsers to buyers when they see an ad on a search engine, and the results probably won't surprise you at all. Google, followed closely by Yahoo, have fairly low conversion rates. The people who surf there tend to browse, and not be easily convinced to buy something they weren't planning on buying. Alternatively, folks at MSN and AOL were much more likely to convert to buyers. The study claims that these sites tend to have "a more buyer friendly demographic," which the more cynical among you may translate to "a more gullible demographic." Either way, though, it's likely that information like this helps drive just how much advertisers are willing to pay on the various search engines.

7 Comments | Leave a Comment..

 
 

Reader Comments (rss)

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  1. Feb 15th, 2006 @ 1:43pm

    No Subject Given

    by Dylan Johnston

    msn and aol have ads in there main website.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  2. Feb 15th, 2006 @ 2:52pm

    No Subject Given

    by Crack Head

    Most Ads sell crap, there is enough popup ads and other crap already, people are afraid to purchase from un-known websites because of the raise of Identy theft.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  3. Feb 15th, 2006 @ 2:52pm

    tooled

    by anon

    MSN and AOL users are far more brainwashed and are tools for those two companies. They are more likely to buy off links because they are cultured. Those sites are like really bad tv infomercials.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  4. Feb 15th, 2006 @ 2:58pm

    No Subject Given

    by Olav

    Popup ads are good.

    I got viagra off a popoup ad now I have 6 popup girlfriends. If I get bored of one I just minimize or close them.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  5. Feb 15th, 2006 @ 3:14pm

    Re: No Subject Given

    by Jimmy Z

    Rock on!

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  6. Feb 15th, 2006 @ 3:41pm

    No Subject Given

    by Anonymous Coward

    Our Google ads convert at HALF the rate of our Yahoo! ads, but Google delivers twice the clicks.

    That was fine when we could buy our Google clicks at $.05 and Y! at $.10, but GOOG's new system has increased our CPC to about $.08, so we have moved a large part of our spend to Yahoo!.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  7. Feb 15th, 2006 @ 3:58pm

    surprise surprise!

    by txjump

    really? ask the people whose lively hoods are technology based if they use aol or msn search engines, ha! or for that matter, aol isp. ick!

    then ask those whose lives don't involve technology if they know that there are different search engines. my mom tells me, "i typed in the address bar and selected the third site listed. that will get you there, now what do you think about ..."

    she doesnt even know what search engine she's using or that she is using a search engine. of course its msn.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

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