Comments on: Is Google’s Stranglehold Slipping?

By: John Hunter

John Hunter — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 22:51:56 +0000

I think no it isn’t slipping. I also think people want to jump to conclusions without enough data. Doing so can provide something to speculate about but I find most of that speculation is worth little. The actual data is worth much more. similar to as the stock market predicting 6 of the last 2 recessions bloggers have predicted 10 of the 0 slips in Google’s market share (unless you count what I am sure some bloggers did last spring – predicting Google’s share would drop in the summer, which has become a pattern). The reasons mentioned about student market share… for that pattern (as you mention) seem plausible to me. I wrote previous about related though not exactly this topic http://management.curiouscatblog.net/2007/09/20/search-share-data-chec king-the-acsi/

By: Wooden Pete

Wooden Pete — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 18:43:56 +0000

The percentage losses are relatively small, and you would have to see a trend developing over a few months before you could conclude google’s stranglehold was slipping.
It may be a good thing if it were true, as i don’t think it’s healthy to have such a dominant and all conquering force in any sector of business.

By: Shonzilla

Shonzilla — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 13:13:13 +0000

Just as scientific research results that are reported on in the popular media, there’s something missing in this report: what were the circumstances under which results have been established.

In correct and factual scientific research one needs to maintain all the parameters but one in order to achieve reliable results. In the case of market research and reporting, there’s at least one varying parameter – time. Others are also important to determine, or at least indicate who they might be.

Without such indicators any market report becomes a yellow press article.

By: Jayson

Jayson — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 18:22:48 +0000

I’m not sure if Google is slipping. I’ve read that Google has a large share of the student market so a December decline in searches seems plausible.

Are these stats global or for the U.S. only? Does Google have a decrease in searches every December?

By: WebSide Ventures

WebSide Ventures — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 16:14:18 +0000

Two-tenths of a percent loss? Google is right back where they were in October. I’m not seeing anything significant here.

By: Allen Taylor

Allen Taylor — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 14:40:53 +0000

Yahoo may have the larger piece of the 18-34 year old pie, but that doesn’t say much about the student demographic. Most college students are still in the 18-24 age rage, but they’re undergrads, while the student demographic is actually made up of people from all ages (since many Baby Boomers use their retirement now to go back to school and get that masters degree or Ph.d.).

It’s interesting that ask has the largest piece of the 18-24 year old market. Still, how much of that market is made up of students and where those students search?

I’d be interested to know what the stats are by socioeconomic status.