May 26, 2004

A report by Vividence (a market research firm in San Mateo, CA) found that Yahoo, MSN, Ask Jeeves and Lycos were all about as successful in finding information for specific queries.

Despite its stellar reputation, Google's search engine performed no better than its online competitors in returning relevant results in a key category, according to a study released Tuesday. However, Google outperformed its competitors in the overall rankings of the survey by a wide margin.

The study's results are based on surveys of 2,000 Internet search users. They were asked to conduct a variety of queries that were intended to show how individual search engines performed and which of them generated the most user satisfaction.

The results among the five Web sites for so-called complex searches were virtually indistinguishable. In this category, users had to find the answer to four questions, including the leading cause of death in the United States for people in the age group of 25 to 34.

Google users found the correct answers 55 percent of the time. MSN and Lycos users came in at 54 percent, followed by Ask Jeeves at 53 percent and Yahoo at 52 percent.

However, Google trounced the others in terms of customer satisfaction for the category: 68 percent of its users were satisfied, compared with 59 percent for Yahoo, 56 percent for Ask Jeeves, 54 percent for Lycos and MSN, and 53 percent for Ask Jeeves.

"Google is getting a brand halo in terms of satisfaction," said Liz Edison, who oversaw the study for Vividence. "When there is actually a correct answer, no one is better or worse than the other."

The study comes as Google, based in Mountain View, awaits an initial public offering. The company's search engine is the most popular, with a 35.9 percent market share in March, followed by Yahoo at 30 percent and Microsoft at 15.7 percent, according to ComScore QSearch, a market research firm.

Gary Stein, a senior analyst for JupiterResearch said the study findings show that Google's lead position in search isn't assured. He said Google has the advantage of a strong brand.

However, he added, the company faces stiff competition now that the search industry has become one of the most lucrative on the Internet through the sale of targeted advertising.

"Less we forget, five years ago, no one had heard about this little company Google," Stein said. "I wouldn't call the game over."

According to the study, 3 out of 4 Internet users say they have a primary search engine. However, half said they use another Web site if they don't find what they want.

Google performed better in categories other than complex search. It beat all comers handily when users could pick their own search topic, looked for local information such as a nearby French restaurant and tried to track down product information, including the manufacturer's suggested retail price for a Ford Mustang coupe.

Among the reasons users for Google's high marks were the Web site's stripped-down graphics and clearly delineated advertising, according to the study. That pushed Google to the top in the overall ranking for customer experience. Yahoo was No. 2, followed by Ask Jeeves, Lycos and Microsoft's MSN.

Gary Price, a librarian and editor of ResourceShelf.com, an online guide for finding information, said the survey's results illustrate what he has been saying for a long time. Some search engines are better than others for different kinds of queries, he said.

"Google is wonderful, and it does a lot of wonderful things," Price said. "But it is not the end all and be all of Web search. Others do a good job."

Source: SF Gate.com

        

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