StatCounter: Google US Search Share, January, 2015, Falls Below 75pct - Webmaster General forum at WebmasterWorld - WebmasterWorld

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StatCounter: Google US Search Share, January, 2015, Falls Below 75pct

engine

12:29 pm on Feb 3, 2015 (gmt 0)

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There are a few stories here. The eye catching one is that Google's US search share drops below 75%, according to StatCounter. The other story is that gains made by Yahoo doesn't appear to have been eroded, just yet, despite Google's efforts to make switching back easier.
It does show the value in a default search, and that users just go with the flow. The users must be finding what they want with Yahoo and the Bing database.

It'll probably need a few more months before we'll know if there's a slow change back. In the meantime, i'll be watching the figures.

January saw Yahoo further increase the gain it made in US search share last month, according to the latest data from independent website analytics provider, StatCounter. Google fell below 75% in the US for the first time since StatCounter Global Stats began recording data*.[url]StatCounter: Google US Search Share, January, 2015, Falls Below 75pct[/url]

in January, Google took 74.8% of US search referrals followed by Bing on 12.4% and Yahoo on 10.9%, its highest US search share for over five years.

"Some analysts expected Yahoo to fall in January as a result of Firefox users switching back to Google. In fact Yahoo has increased US search share by half a percentage point," commented Aodhan Cullen, CEO, StatCounter. "It will be fascinating to see if these gains continue."

Earlier stories

Google US Search Market Share Drops From 79 to 75 pct, Yahoo Share Up [webmasterworld.com]
Yahoo to become the default search engine for U.S. Firefox Users [webmasterworld.com]

chrisv1963

4:14 pm on Feb 3, 2015 (gmt 0)

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The users must be finding what they want with Yahoo and the Bing database.

I must admit that (for my niche) the search results on Yahoo and Bing are better and cleaner. There's much more "garbage" (Pinterest, multiple Youtube results, ...) on Google.

goodroi

10:57 pm on Feb 3, 2015 (gmt 0)

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I think researchers are giving users too much credit on actively choosing which search engine they use. This seems like lazy users settling for whatever default search they are given as long as it is good enough (google or bing or yahoo).

J_RaD

4:57 am on Feb 4, 2015 (gmt 0)

despite googles effort to get every single install you do INSTALLING CHROME and the google toolbar!

im waiting on them to start sending everyone CD-ROMS AOL style!

toidi

12:51 pm on Feb 4, 2015 (gmt 0)

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This seems like lazy users settling for whatever default search they are given as long as it is good enough (google or bing or yahoo).�

I don't think it is laziness as much as it is lack of know how and a fear of making changes to their browser/computer.

for the typical user, there is not much difference between the search engines so they are finding what they want. If the media stopped talking about google so much, g would fade away, which is one of the reasons g enters into all these different venues, publicity.

J_RaD

3:57 am on Feb 5, 2015 (gmt 0)

they really have almost all become the same. Sometimes using bing im not finding what im looking for.. normally some kinda off the wall driver, i give goog a shot, and I see the same results.

whatever edge goog used to have, it doesn't anymore.

engine

9:44 am on Feb 5, 2015 (gmt 0)

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SERPs aside, laziness or technically challenged, the importance of a browser search is highlighted with the Firefox example. It's one reason Google has taken every opportunity to get Chrome onto everyone's system. It then gives the company complete control over the search.

The average user just does not care too much, they just want the search results, and they will search again if they can't find what they want.

mcneely

7:01 am on Feb 8, 2015 (gmt 0)

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I don't mind using Bing or Yahoo .. Search is what it is, and I'll go for the one that has the least amount of self promotion ...