Natural Search vs. Paid Search
Natural Search vs. Paid SearcheConsultancy has just sent over one of their regular emails which a very interesting article about the British preference for using natural search rather than paid for search.
What they are saying is that the 43% of internet users surveyed know the difference between paid for an organic and that “nine out of ten British customers prefer natural search results, and many lack trust in paid search”.
More interestingly the article also tells us that – 58% would immediately go to a competitors site if the search results displayed something negative (now the article doesn’t specify what “negative” means but, assuming it could be anything from spelling mistakes to google-bombing). The remaining 42% would abandon the search altogether.
“Seven out of ten British consumers will not click through to a company’s website if search results contain negative comments about them. This must mean that McDonalds’ site gets very few UK visitors.”
Interestingly, this echos something that Mr Search (Mike Grehan) was talking about a couple of years ago when I met him at a RedEye seminar. Companies should spend a lot less on paid for search and concentrate on deploying a SEO programme.
Looking at it from a financial services point of view. We are an industry where customers buy products like loans and credit cards frequently (much driven by rate-tarts) but, rarely change their current account or mortgage because they like the perceived relationship/security with their bank.
