A recent study on how people are using Google has some takeaways which are all worth reading, but in particular I liked these reminders.
This question was one of the most fascinating ones tackled by the analysis of Google searches that I mentioned yesterday. Here are the conclusions, with my take on the opportunities offered:
- Informational searches dominate: Over 50% of Google searches are informational, with users seeking insights, answers, or solutions to topics of interest or need. These queries represent an opportunity to position a brand as an authority and build trust through valuable content.
- Navigational queries reflect established intent: About one-third of searches are navigational. These users know where they want to go and use Google to efficiently locate a specific website, reinforcing the importance of maintaining strong brand visibility and accurate metadata.
- Commercial intent searches present opportunities: Approximately 15% of searches are commercially driven, focusing on product comparisons or information. These are critical moments to influence decision-making with educational content.
- Transactional keywords are high value but rare: Only a tiny 0.7% of searches indicate an intent to purchase, subscribe or engage – the most valuable to us as for search marketers. These queries often translate directly into conversions.
The study’s takeaways are all worth reading, but in particular I liked these reminders:
“It is far better to be the brand your target customers search for than it is to do search marketing for the millions of query permutations in a space (especially since your biggest competitor is often Google themselves). From 1997-2017, search was an excellent place to start marketing. Today, search is largely a reward for doing marketing right everywhere else.
“Google has become a place people go after they discover a need rather than a demand-creation or even demand-nudging platform. Scrolling through hundreds of thousands of searches will give you the distinct impression that search is what people do after they realise a need, rather than a place they discover brands and services to investigate.”