[Sigia-l] ROI/Value of Search Engine Design - Resources?

[Jared M. Spool]

Richard Wiggins wrote:

>6) It is a simple fact that about half of all users, upon landing on a Web
>site with a purpose in mind, will click, and about half will search.

Actually, there's no behavioral evidence to suggest this "simple fact" is, 
in fact, true. (See http://www.uie.com/Articles/always_search.htm for more 
information.) It apparently is one of those great myths that floats about.

About half of users surveyed do *report* that they always use search, but 
when observed, they don't actually always use search.

>Those who click may convert to searchers, though, when their clicking proves
>fruitless.

This, however, is true. Our studies show that when users can't find their 
"trigger" words (the words that trigger them to click), they'll often turn 
to search. What do they type into the search box? Their trigger words. 
(Described in more detail here in this report: 
http://www.uie.com/what_they_want.htm)

Jared


Jared M. Spool
User Interface Engineering
http://www.uie.com    jspool at uie.com

Don't miss User Interface 7 West, March 23-27, Burlingame, CA. 
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