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Yahoo Search Gains on Google
Monday, July 19, 2004
Google may be getting most of the attention among search engines,
especially with its upcoming initial public offering, but new Forrester
Research data on search habits shows Yahoo is still getting a big
piece of the action.
Use of Yahoo as a search engine ties that of the mighty Google
in the most recent Consumer Technographics survey, sponsored by
Forrester, of more than 60,000 North American households. Each of
those search engines shows up with 40 percent of Web surfers who
use a portal or search site at least once a week. And Forrester
believes use of Yahoo search will surge ahead of Google in the first
quarter of 2005, says George Colony, Forrester chair and CEO.
Why the spurt by Yahoo, especially amid the recent Googlemania?
Colony says a great search site has three components: personalization,
presentation, and quality of service."Of all the search engines
out there, Yahoo is the only player that gets all three," Colony
says. Google impresses primarily in its quality of service, he adds.
Colony also points out that few, if any, barriers to entry exist
in the search engine universe. "It's very easy to make a quick
switch to another search engine," he said.
Certainly competition remains fierce, as the search sites look
for other ways to lure surfers and make money.
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