2008-08-05-皮尤-Search_Engine_Use_6页_46kb

报告摘要

Search Engine Usage Trends (Pew Internet & American Life Project, 2008)

Summary

This report by Deborah Fallows analyzes trends in internet search engine usage from 2002 to 2008, highlighting a significant increase in the daily use of search engines.

Key Findings

Search Engine Adoption

Usage Rate: By May 2008, nearly half (49%) of internet users (defined by email usage) performed a search on a typical day, up from about one-third in 2002, representing a 69% increase.
Comparison: Search daily use surpasses other common activities like checking weather (30%) or news (39%).
Growth vs Email: While search grew by 69% between 2002 and 2008, email use only increased by 15% over the same period.

User Demographics

Education: College graduates (66%) and those with some college (49%) are significantly more likely to use search than high school graduates or less (32%).
Income: Higher income correlates with increased usage, with those earning over $75,000 being most likely (62%).
Age: Younger users are more frequent searchers (55-54% for ages 18-29 and 30-49, decreasing with age). Under 65, usage is between 40% and 27%.
Gender: Men (53%) are more likely to use search daily than women (45%), a trend consistent since 2002.
Broadband: Broadband users are more than twice as likely as dial-up users to search daily (58% vs 26%), controlling for age/education.

Reasons for Growth

Improved User Experience: Search engines are now available directly on non-search homepages (content sites).
Widespread Broadband: 55% of US homes had high-speed internet by 2008, strongly correlated with daily search usage. Users turning to the internet first for questions and then increasingly visiting search engines for answers.
Sufficiency and Reach: General search engines are perceived as sufficiently useful for an increasing range of topics.