The number of individuals utilizing Internet search engines for information gathering surged in 2005, firmly securing the number two spot—only behind email exchanges—in the list of online activities.
According to the latest research findings from Pew Internet and American Life Project (PIALP), among 94 million Americans online on a given day, a staggering 63% used search engines, marking a 7% increase compared to June 2004.
Historically, searching for and reading current news has always fiercely competed for the number two position. However, over the past year, searching has made a remarkable leap to widen the gap with current news, as only 46% of Internet users in the U.S. reported reading news online.
The research also indicated that the usage rate of search engines is higher among affluent individuals with higher education levels, along with households using high-speed broadband connections.
“If you’re cooking dinner and wondering what ingredients to use, with a dial-up connection, you’d likely be buried in a cookbook. But things change significantly with broadband. You’re much more likely to access your favorite search engine,” stated Rainie, the project research director.
Among various online activities, email remains the most popular application, with 77% of users engaging with this service. (Another study by comScore revealed that, on average, we spend about 24 minutes daily checking and composing emails, compared to 20 minutes spent on searches.)
Nevertheless, this usage rate is still 8% lower than the survey conducted in 2004. PIALP experts suggest that users may be increasingly concerned about viruses and other security risks associated with email, or they could be shifting towards instant messaging (IM) instead. Another possibility is that users are experiencing information overload, leading to a subconscious decrease in email usage.
Recent reports from various Internet research firms have also echoed similar sentiments: email is gradually being supplanted by instant messaging, just as mobile phones have replaced landlines.
The PIALP survey was conducted from September 13 to October 14, with a margin of error of +/- 3%.
Cam Thi
