As part of a recent experiment, search engine DuckDuckGo found that www users when presented with a list/preference of search engines selected more non-Google search engines, thereby pointing to the fact that more choice meant a more diverse market share.
In a post on its official blog, DuckDuckGo has said there was a pent-up demand for Google search alternatives, but thanks to Google’s “pervasiveness”, users could not escape from using only its search engine. While the demand was there, & so was the supply by way of rival search engines like Yahoo!, Bing & DuckDuckGo, yet, people continued to use Google. All that, claimed DuckDuckGo, could change with the introduction of the search “preference menu”.
DuckDuckGo conducted a small survey “to gauge why consumers might select an alternative search engine.” It asked over 3000 people in the US, Germany & other countries the following question:
A search engine is a Web tool in which you enter search terms and receive a list of results from varying Websites. Examples include Google.com, Yahoo.com, and Bing.com If you were going to switch to a new search engine, which factor would most motivate you to make the switch? (Or, if you have already switched search engines, what was the primary factor that motivated the switch?)
– DuckDuckGo
Here are the results:
The #1 reason was “If it had a better quality of results“, closely followed by “If it didn’t collect any personal data about me or my searches“, providing more evidence that many consumers would like a “truly private search option,” concluded DuckDuckGo.
Stressing that a search preference menu — one that changes all search defaults & includes most common Google alternatives — could deliver meaningful search engine choice to consumers & significantly increase competition in the search market, DuckDuckGo has pointed out that the move would push up competition to Google by anywhere between 300-800%., something it had established by another survey of people using search on Android devices.
A search preference menu recently shifted Android market share in Russia, and we wanted to see what could happen in the US, Europe, & Australia. So, we conducted research to find out.
-DuckDuckGo
By doing all this, DuckDuckGo is making a case for putting in front of “searchers” options such as a search preference menu, to make them not only aware of alternates to Google but also choosing any one of them.
DuckDuckGo has written this is the 1st post in an on-going campaign. Watch this space for updates.
Image Credit: DuckDuckGo
