According to the Nielsen, searches on the Internet were down 16% from the previous year.
Article:
Top U.S. Search Sites for July 2010
The number of searches conducted in the U.S. over the last year has decreased by 16% from 10.5 billion in July 2009 to 8.8 billion in July 2010. MSN/Windows Live/Bing was the only one of the top three engines to have experienced an increase in search volume – a 28% increase from 0.9 billion to 1.2 billion.
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Can we take a walk for a moment in virtual land? What is the actual process?
A person with a need or want sits down for a moment and types in a search term. In the old days they would pick up a phone book or watch the advertisements. Now they search in the search engine box.
The results are shown on the page. They typically have no photos though there are exceptions. Videos are available at times but really, videos are not what people are looking for. Those who search want an answer, not to spend more time looking for an answer.
There are hundreds of thousands of results for any item that is searched and even if nothing comes up related to the search term, there are always suggestions.
To find what they are looking for is an obstacle course--pure and simple.
Bring on the IMANUT crowd. (Internet Marketers Are Not Usually Trustworthy). They are attempting to create web pages and search terms to be at the top of the search. It matters little that they have no guarantee, no phone number or address. It matters even less that in 6 months they will have moved on and leave the purchasers with marginal products.
Twitter and Facebook are on the scene. Both have recommendations. Online businesses are beginning to wise up and understand how to create banners and advertising which pops up for those who have already visited.
Since technology is beginning to 'label' each browser with history, each email address according to interests, and credit card statements shows purchases, there is an easier method to get the attention of the consumer BEFORE they even know their own need.
Search engine software gives results which are filled with non-relevent information. You can download an APP for every category or interest. Advertising technology is now anticipating the needs while online with targeted advertising. Therefore we could say that the game is afoot for online service.
It used to be so very impressive that a search engine could scour the world and find 15 million results for a search phrase. "For me?" a person would say to themselves. "You went and found that many for me?" No longer is it impressive.
Think back 15 years ago to the original eBay days. To find something of interest required long hard hours of searching by trial and error. The systems have improved. They now have a much more streamlined method for searching and results are narrowed down. With better monitoring systems, eBay even has methods in place to tell a seller: "Do better" and a grading system where sellers won't last long if they are not excellent.
Watch the results for August. Will searches be down from last year again? If you can anticipate and understand why, you will stay ahead of the game.
Someone is searching for your business product or service every day. How they do this is quickly changing and their patience is wearing thin.
What can you the entrepreneur do? Get laser focused. This is not new. The advice and counsel has already been given.
You have a service or product that people need or want. Be the master of it and have an online presence to share that expertise. The more an entrepreneur decides to be an online mall, the more difficult it will become. An entrepreneur is not Walmart, Target, eBay or Amazon. These companies will operate online differently than an entrepreneur.
What are you the master of? What do you love? It is time to choose.
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