Blind Study Finds Google Really Does Offer Best Results
Posted by nullbit on November 21, 2005, 3:01 pm
Yesterday, we began the Search Engine Experiment to discover which of the top search engines really offers the most relevant search results. With 5,000+ participants thus far, I thought now a good time to reveal the results as they currently stand:
As of writing Google offered the overall most relevant results for 41% of searches, Yahoo Search for 33%, and MSN Search trailing behind with only a 27% most relevant share. (Note: the image above is updated automatically, so you will probably be seeing newer figures than written).
We plan to run the experiment indefinitely with the test results automatically updated every 15 minutes and available on this page.
If you haven't already, take the blind test to find out which search engines' results you personally prefer.
Lastly, despite best efforts at making the test fair, and prevent cheating, I remind you that we by no means guarantee the accuracy of these test results.
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Dispels a lot of the hype
41/33/26 doesnt say too much about who is on top of the pack. Thats a pretty thin margin all around.
I have alway thought that Google search results were only 10% better at best, and 90% hype.
Its funny because even when Yahoo! used Google as a search engine people would swear up and down Google was better despite the exact same results.
- By Seth Brundle at Nov 21, 2005, 6:26 pm
- Reply
Re: Dispels a lot of the hype
wow... damn... wicked!!!
this is truly a great article. Thanks for the insight as well we all the advice everyone is offering.
i was wondering if anyone can tell me what is important when doing SEO.
keywords in the URL or keywords in H1 tag...
cheers.
MS short-changed by perspective pie
It's a bit surprising that I find myself defending Microsoft, but the 3D effect used to render your pie-chart makes Microsoft's 26% result look like less than one quarter of the pie. Perhaps showing the pie-chart head-on would present a fairer view of the results.
Re: MS short-changed by perspective pie
A bar chart for flat perspective:
Blind Test
So was it a Taste Test or were the researchers blind. Come on...when your #1, you don't have to put on gimmicks like this to make it appear that you are #1.
NoMorePoints.com
- By NoMorePoints.com at Nov 22, 2005, 3:01 am
- Reply
SEARCH
What is the reliability of the results of ALtavista,
Lycos and other major search engines?
- By SATISH VARMA at Nov 22, 2005, 3:43 am
- Reply
Re: SEARCH
What about Ask/Teoma? I find their results to be the most different than the other three?
the percentage remains still unchanged
hey...can the results be shown in atleast 2 decimal places. it seems the market share percentage remains the same intact for some time now. this shall provide a more realistic result.. any comments nullbit?
Re: the percentage remains still unchanged
Done
Re: Re: the percentage remains still unchanged
you the man....
what a great article... keep up the good work...
Search Engine Experiment
Interesting, because in my own limited experience, I find Google's results to be more difficult to follow and less relevant than yahoo or msn. For example, when searching for portable massage chairs msn brings up more relevant terms. But I am just an amatuer I guess, not a standardized study.
A weakness in your model?
Sometimes two or maybe even three of the search engines returns similar or even identical result sets.
Try searching for "miserable failure" here and you'll see identical results for two of the search engines, and an equally "good" result set for the third.
There are also cases where the the result sets are not identical, but where two or maybe even three are equally good (i.e. a search for cardiac arrest gives similar quality result sets in two engines, even though they're not identical).
Maybe you should try to make a version where one could select best search engine with checkboxes, where multiple choice is possible? I don't know if that'd increase Yahoo and MSN's success rate compared to Google, though.
- By Jo Christian Oterhals at Jan 16, 2006, 6:59 pm
- Reply
SEO guide
Hi, nice blog and thx for the info.
Does anyone know where I could find THE BEST search engine optimization guide online? I am mostly looking for a guide that shows how you can SEO your site or blog without spending a fortune. I need the info to create a similar step by step guide on my website, http://www.web2earn.com
Another question: does anyone here have success with automated link exchange websites?
Regards,
Michael Rad
Web2earn.com
Why didn't you include Ask.com in your test?
Why didn't you include Ask.com in your test? I have found that they now provide the most relevant results.
Nice information
Hi,
This is fun for me as well as good information i found in this article.
I have search in google "no guarantee with best results" and i have found your article on first.
This is fun search but found nice article.
Paavan S.
SEO India
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