The majority of casual internet users have grown accustomed to using internet search engines, such as Google and Yahoo!. Both were the hubs of the internet’s early beginnings. Google’s massive reach has even allowed it to be used as a verb – “Google it.” A few months ago in May, Hitwise released data that demonstrated Google’s dominance, maintaining roughly 69-72% of the search engine market share. Yahoo! trailed Google at roughly 15%. Remember Bing? Yes, it’s still around. Bing is a direct descendant of MSN Live. Microsoft’s search engine venture was fortunate enough to take a 10% share, which isn’t bad for a new engine by any standards.
Today, Microsoft announced that their search engine Bing has grown to 90 million users, experiencing a 48% growth, and now controls 11.8% of the market. Google and Yahoo! have experienced slight losses.
Google domestic explicit core search market share was 66.2% in November, down slightly from 66.3% in October. Google grew November explicit core search volume by 12.0% Y/Y, a deceleration from 17.8% Y/Y growth in October. In the first 2 months of 4Q, Google grew explicit search by 14.9% Y/Y vs. 16.3% growth in 3Q.
Yahoo! domestic explicit core search market share decreased to 16.4% in November from 16.5% in October. Yahoo! grew November explicit core search volume by 4.1% Y/Y, down from 6.8% Y/Y growth in October. In the first 2 months of 4Q, explicit searches grew 5.4% Y/Y vs. 2.4% growth in 3Q.
Microsoft sites’ domestic explicit core search market share grew to 11.8% in November from 11.5% in October. Microsoft sites grew November explicit core search volume by 31.3% Y/Y, down from 40.9% Y/Y growth in October. In the first 2 months of 4Q, explicit searches grew 36.0% Y/Y vs. 40.4% growth in 3Q
Like Xbox, Bing is entering a market dominated by two giants, Google and Yahoo! However, the growth it has seen over the past year should shed some optimism on Microsoft’s efforts.We shouldn’t count Bing out yet. A 1.8% increase in market share may sound small, but it’s a big deal when your competitor is Google. Although overtaking Google may not happen, overtaking Yahoo! in second place is a realistic future. Yahoo! leads Bing by roughly 4%. .Yahoo! has been struggling in recent years and so agreed to a deal, which has its searches powered by Bing. Because of this deal, Bing has seen a “vertical” growth in specialized searches and a 28% footprint in the U.S. market.
Even with Yahoo! and Bing joining together, Google maintains it’s dominance. That does not mean, however that marketers and SEOs should completely ignore Bing. It is still growing, changing, and something to pay attention to. If Bing does increase it’s outreach, marketers that stay close to it will be able to take advantage of it early on. Microsoft has been aggressively pushing Bing, through Bing Cashback (ended) and TV Ads, something Yahoo! abandoned years ago. 70% Google market control is huge, but if Microsoft can harness a presence for Bing like it did with the Xbox, there may be some room left.
Written By Daniel T.