I have taken some of the facts and figures from various sources, and in some instances, offered suggestions as to the implications of the data on the owners and managers of small business websites.
- Internet Access & Use Statistics
- Which Search Engines?
- Typical Search Behaviour
- Readiness
In the United Kingdom today over 70% of households have internet access - 90% of which have a high speed broadband service.
Over 75% of the UK adult population accessed the internet in 2009, 64% of these users have made at least one online purchase.
Most internet users do not search beyond the first three pages of search engine results.
Implication – Your website needs to be in there. Not just by the name of your organisation, but from generic search terms too.
90% of individuals using search engines do so to research a specific purchase or service.
Evidence – Travel and accommodation bookings are now largely carried out online. No phones, no face-to-face contact.
The latest figures show that 81% of people using search engines find the information they need ‘every time or most of the time’.
Question - Are you confident that your website is amongst those being found?!?
More than 60% of search engine usage relates to the first step in the buying process.
Implication – Whatever your size, trade, industry, or location, if you have a website, it needs to be “found”.
Which Search Engines?
Over 90% of all searches performed by internet users in the UK are generated by Google, (77%), Yahoo!, (7%), and MSN(bing), (7%)!!
Implication – In the UK your website needs to feature well in the natural search results on Google, MSN, (bing), and Yahoo! to be found!!
In excess of 75% of Google users choose organic search results, not the more expensive AdWords or Pay-Per-Click, (PPC), links.
Implication – Yes, PPC and particularly Local Search can be very beneficial, however, it is critical for your site is listed naturally on generic search terms associated with your organisation’s product or service.
Typical Search Behaviour.
Over 30% of all search engine queries have two words.
People rarely go beyond the top 30, (3 pages), results listed from a search. In fact, the top 30 results get over 90% of search traffic. After the first three pages, searchers are more likely to change their search term, or even their search engine, rather than trawl through lower pages.
The more educated and experienced the searcher, the less likely they are to click on a sponsored link, as opposed to a link from the natural search engine results positions.
Satisfaction with natural search engine results seems to be greater with Google, than with any other search engine, as less Google users click on paid-for search links.
Implication – Google is the most frequently used search engine in the UK by a wide margin. Good natural, or organic results in Google are critical if you want your site to be found!!
Readiness.
Surveys and assessments suggest that, in the UK, only a tiny percentage of business websites are optimised to a ‘satisfactory’ level.
Implication – Owners and managers are not getting the number of visitors and enquiries that they might have expected, and in many cases are left wondering why they invested in a website in the first place.
E&OE
Sources: Hitwise; Search Engine Watch; Adept SEO; Web Search Workshop
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