US remains world’s largest search market
A new study from comScore has revealed that the US remains the largest search market worldwide, while Google Sites “retains a commanding position in the global search market”.
Jack Flanagan, comScore executive vice president, said: “The global search market continues to grow at an extraordinary rate, with both highly developed and emerging markets contributing to the strong growth worldwide.
“Search is clearly becoming a more ubiquitous behavioUr among internet users that drives navigation not only directly from search engines but also within sites and across networks. If you equate the advancement of search with the ability of humans to cultivate information, then the world is rapidly becoming a more knowledgeable ecosystem.”
comScore found that in December 2009 there were more than 131 billion searches conducted by people age 15 or older from home and work locations, a 46% increase year on year.
The US was the largest individual search market in the world, with 22.7 billion searches – approximately 17% of global searches.
China was second with 13.3 billion searches, followed by Japan with 9.2 billion and the UK with 6.2 billion. Among the top ten global search markets, Russia posted the highest gains in 2009, growing 92% to 3.3 billion, followed by France (up 61% to 5.4 billion) and Brazil (up 53% to 3.8 billion).
At the start of the year, Enders Analysis forecast a 6.9% increase for internet advertising as a whole in 2010.
| Searches (MM) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec-2008 | Dec-2009 | Percent Change | |
| Worldwide | 89,708 | 131,354 | 46% |
| United States | 18,688 | 22,741 | 22% |
| China | 11,778 | 13,278 | 13% |
| Japan | 6,213 | 9,170 | 48% |
| United Kingdom | 4,623 | 6,245 | 35% |
| Germany | 4,079 | 5,609 | 38% |
| France | 3,362 | 5,425 | 61% |
| South Korea | 2,796 | 4,039 | 44% |
| Brazil | 2,454 | 3,763 | 53% |
| Canada | 2,900 | 3,710 | 28% |
| Russian Federation | 1,735 | 3,333 | 92% |