Google vs. Other Search Engine: Creating a new Search superpower.
Without a doubt, at one point in time, we have all been a part of the Google Ecosystem, in one way or another. However, lets shift the focus and discuss what Google is best known for - Its search entity.
The 'Data Savvy' adult’ consumers of today’s world are 9 times more likely than the average internet user, to opt for Google, as a search engine.
Considering a variety of factors, I have my own perspective of looking at this topic. Ranging from the population having become 'habituated' with the product to 'high preference' to other search engines; even if powered by the gods of Google.
So then the questions to be asked are; is Google the superpower of the 'Search world'? Can a new superpower search engine emerge? Can its share of worldwide search revenue and reach of total internet audience be hampered down?
I believe this is a tough one for any strategist working for any big top Search providers.
My modus operandi is simple, a campaign where Bing or any of the other big Search Engines are promoted to our current 'tech hungry users' (1-8 years old) from their introduction of using their progressive 'Play' laptops to using the real deal.
Of course, this would require a large investment from digital to investment in physical OEM goods.
To explain my notion even further, an unorthodox experiment was conducted:
I sourced 4 volunteers within my target group range; aged 4-5 and ready to use the Internet to further explore their TV programs obsession.
With help from their parents, their internet default homepage was set to Google and Bing (2 volunteers per product).
Both groups were educated on how to use the set Search Engines of their browsers to reach their favourite sites landing page.
Week 1-3: User behaviour remained the same. All users used either Bing or Google to access preferred sites.
Week 4: We switched their default homepage for both groups (Google to Bing / Bing to Google).
From week 4 onwards the results observed were outstanding; both groups saw a different search page for the first time since we started the experiment.
Both groups did the unimaginable and used the new default search page to access the old search page before travelling to their respective sites.
Without a doubt whilst my experiment remains unorthodox. My views are more towards a long term approach where a business model does the unforeseen and invests in the Tech Hungry market segment.
In return Search brands are rewarded with stronger top of mind association, brand awareness and most important higher likelihood by these newly graduated tech users to use their search offering.
There's no debate about it google has become somewhat embedded in the current generation of Internet breakthroughs but should it be embedded in the next generation of tech hungry users?
Leadership | Strategy | Clinical Research | Pharmaceuticals | Medicines Quality/Access | International Development
9 年Well from a less tech savvy perspective. I think as you rightly said Google is way ahead. In my opinion this is so because they have advertised themselves way better than other brands. They have associated themselves with products that "work" and relatively "easy to use". Lets look back a few years ago, i loved using Bing and my personal fave, "Ask Jeeves", but i remember they were associated with crashes and just darn-right slow. Somehow this has not been so with Google to a large extent. For adults we know what works, we are able to identify certain things/involvement that google has undertaken, we want to support a brand that is involved in much more than what they supply or what we as consumers demand. For instance, Google as a brand has funded so much to research in the science sphere (biological included), now, as a Scientist this resonates. Google is able to let me know that they have/are doing this. It is possible Bing and others undertake such endeavours but somehow they are not able to communicate this well enough. As for children, I believe when they realize they have an option that works better they will tend to use it more. If something else comes along that is better than Google we might all subscribe (i say better and not equal).
VP Business Operations
9 年Keen to hear what you think about Amazon being the gateway to search v Google. Thinking specifically in a transactional/e-com sense - Amazon has built trust with the consumer whereas Google often struggles.