Business Week: All Over the GOOG
January 10, 2009
Business Week may want to rename one of its editorial sections “Google Week.” The editors at Business Week crank out articles about Google. Most are interesting, but some of the Google coverage is–well, let me be gentle–obvious. Here’s an example, “Small businesses Love Google, Even When things Go Wrong.” Now we know that search is not very good. I know that folks with multiple PhD’s and big IQs will beg to differ but I point to the research I have done, Jane McConnell in Paris has done, and that Martin White in London has done. Our data reveal that about two thirds of the users of a search system are dissatisfied. Now Business Week has embraced a Neilsen-WebVisible survey that says 92 percent of Internet users are satisfied with Web search. But–and this is an important “but”–“39 percent of them frequently can’t find companies they’re looking for.” Search doesn’t work too well. Imagine that. You must read the Business Week article here which includes a link to the news release from the big time research outfit here. In my opinion, the reason people love Google has to do with the imprint Google has stamped on two thirds of the people who look for information on Google. Google is search. Search is Google. If a free service works in a manner one can describe as “good enough”, that’s okay. The key is the brand power and magnetism Google possesses. Perception is a big part of a search system’s success. Google’s been working on perception for a decade, and the GOOG has done a bang up job. Now if we can shift people from their grip on the view of Google as an ad company, I would be a happier goose.
Stephen Arnold, January 10, 2009
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