The following article was written by Jeremy Zawodny and appeared in his blog.

A whole bunch of people at work today asked me if I had seen a recent posting on the Google Blog News Channel: What Search Engines Do Search Engine Companies Use?

That posting summarizes a lot of data from VisitorVille Intelligence, specifically looking at which search companies use which search services.

The thing that everyone seemed to notice was this:

• Finally, at Yahoo, 68.9% of employees use Yahoo, but a still-strong 29.8% use Google (compare that to Google’s 100% loyalty). 81.2% use IE (13% some form of Mozilla). Only 4% of Yahoo’s computers run Linux, and that’s only market share stolen from Windows 98, not any of the newer versions.

I see two problems with this.

First off, I'm pretty sure that the data collected is not able to distinguish one employee from the next. I just looked at their data collection page and read this:

• There is some data that we do not aggregate. For example, we do not collect information on search terms used. We also do not aggregate information on what specific pages or websites people visit.

Huh? Are search engines not also web sites?

Putting that apparent contradiction aside, there's a big difference between saying "55% of Yahoo employee's searches are on blah" and "55% of Yahoo employees search on blah."

Anyway, the next problem I see is what that 100% Google figure. That seems to imply that Google never bothers to check out the competition. Is that really true? I know for a fact that it's not.

So where are all those hits counted? They aren't I guess. Maybe they're only allowed to browse Yahoo from home? Or they are more careful to mask their activities? (Not hard to do with a proxy.)

Personally, I run most of my searches on at least two search engines (the two that matter) so I can see how they differ. But maybe I'm just weird. I'm not sure why anyone working for a search company would do such a crazy thing.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I don't have much faith in those numbers.

Do you?

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Former WebProWorld Admin
IntentionalFoul.com

I think while a majority of people find themselves using one search engine, because it is there. Many are trying to find new ways to do searches avoiding the so called " Dream Team Engines". More of my clients are asking for search engine listings that give them the better results they used to get 5 years ago before the take over of " pay for ranking".
I won't list here the ones that I give them, but I do tell them there is life out there other then the main engines. AND you can get results with out paying for ranking.


Darlene Ong-Williams
Webmaster

Not only do I agree with Jeremy, I dare to say it is simply not true. I think it is safe to agree upon Googles professionalism. To my knowledge there is no professional organisation, big or small, who does not keep an eye, and encourage their employees to do so, on what competitors are doing. It is only healthy business practice to perform competitor analysis. Even if all Googlers prefer their own systems and methods there will still be at least a percentage who wants to compare their results with those of Yahoo, MSN or any other (do they excist?)major search engines.

For me it's really simple. When I search I want relevant results, not results based on a PR that we all know is worthless. Google is a waiste of my time and my sites time. The majority of the traffic coming to my network sites from Google are from people searching for illegal cracks for software. I get MUCH better SE traffic from Yahoo, ALtavista etc.

This tells me that the majority of people using Google are teenagers and kids.

My conclusion....Teenagers use Goolge....The grownups that know better use Yahoo (they actually respect relevance).

Google has told lies from the beginning.... REMEMBER THIS?: GOOGLE WILL NEVER GO PUBLIC, WE WILL ALWAYS BE PRIVATE.....Yah right, sell outs.

I am fond of quoting Mark Twain aka Samuel Clemens who said there are 3 kinds of lies: lies, damn lies, and statistics.

It is so true in marketing, in medical research, in clinical research, and all of the other pointless research that worthless-liberal-left-leaning news media pick up.

How did these guys come to their numbers? What is their methodology? I dont believe in any stats without a synopsis of their methodology. Why? Because there is too much crap out there! The medical industry, for one, and their vacillation between bran is good, bran is bad, bran is good again. Or more ridiculous, the whole red wine thing. They think that the French eat fattier foods than us and have fewer heart problems, so it MUST be in the red wine they drink. What - no one ever thought it could be that the French dont snack like we do, walk more than Americans, dont eat as much or supersize things?

I absolutely question the methodology of this study. What is it based on? Was this a survey research or trial-experiment? How did they gather their data? Was it natural or constructed? And why were those employees using the search engines? for their own search or for job related stuff? I mean, give me a break.

According to Jeremy's blog, Vistorville had a rep send in comments. According to this dude's explanation, here's how they get their info:

So this is a sample that isnt even representative of anything. Furthermore, they differentiate nothing other than the evidence of something used.

Here's a perfect response to Visitorville:
I think that says it.

My goal is to place high on as many Search Engines as possible. Why would anyone want to have just one "Salesman" working for them when you could have 20 Search Engines working sending traffic to their site.

This 100% using Google at Google just doesn't make any sense to me. How do the people who work at Google verify results when someone searches for "Search Engines"? Sounds like Bill Clinton, "I did not have a Search with that Search Engine".

When I find a new keyword being used for my site I go to my guestbook and check it on all the search engines.

Franklyn

http://woodfloorist.com

Hi Chris

There are ordinary search engines, designed for a language area and there is Google, allowing searches in over hundred different languages and that makes Google more than an ordinary search engine. Google is a strong multilingual news media research tool that has search engine techniques as well as mathematical tools and many more.
By the way, my question is how HighBeam will evolve?

I write this because IMHO, I thing Yahoo's employees are right to be interested to know their competitors!

Regards
theglobalchinese

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theglobalchinese - Welcome to the News Community

While I would think Google would look at other search engines to see how their results compare. From looking at Google results the past 6 months I would say Google does not even know there are other search engines out there. :-)

The reason is simple the results honestly are not as good as Yahoo or even MSN (now my home page). The same companies that spammed Google a year ago are still there and ranking higher. The results honestly do not make sense.

I do marketing for several sites in the same market and I have a site #4 nationally that should not be, and the other site I work with should be and it's not in the top 30.

I am running across more and more SEO professionals that are simply not sure what to do with Google. It's hard when many of us 'preach' 'do not spam', and 'its all about quality content' and then our customers see other sites that CLEARLY are spamming rank higher.

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Gary
http://pilotjourney.com

I think it is indead the blind mass that is using Google...People that just do not know any better and couldn't care less. It has to be easy and so they choose Google...

But what I don't get is the fact that lot's of people are attacking 'Microsoft' (as they should!) on it's domminating possition, but the same time think Google is any different...

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Erick Schluter
Linkage, a nice websites portal
Amsterdam . Netherlands
http://www.linkage.nl

"Personally, I run most of my searches on at least two search engines (the two that matter) so I can see how they differ"

I am interested to know what search engines you suggest/recommend?

I certainly agree with GaryBradshaw comment regarding Google and the spamming still being there.

Thanks

Michael

I used to like Google but their relevance has gone for a loop. Personally I use both Google and Yahoo - what the one does not give the other might.

MSN does not seem to be doing a "too bad" job so searches are now done between the three. Maybe that is what everybody should do.....

Re. stats and studies - if I remember correctly from my student days - stats are used to determine trends....that is all.

And from science - even a wrong result is a result. maybe this will open the people in charge up to do a proper study taking all variables into account.....

And in conclusion, people will use whatever they are comfortable with or whatever gives the best results.

I think the money makers tend to forget that.

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Online marketing South Africa
Bulk SMS / streaming SMS software & gateway integration tools

so the Google Blog News Channel reported that google employees only love google? thats a shocker.

I you get your paychecks from what you learn and teach in this forum then you should spend most your time on google, since thats where your mortgage payment is coming from (its' traffic). And for pure interface I like alltheweb. And for relevence while google continues to sellout their way to mediocrity, they are still the most on target.

The stats above seem not only meaningless to me but counterproductive. What everyone in the world is using would be a good statistical cross-section, but what the employees of a player are using? that makes little sense to even look at.
These would produce stats that we know are going to be tainted going in. If the idea is that they will be experts on SE's so what they use is important? then the whole concept of SE is lost. The best search engine is the one real users choose for WHATEVER reason they choose it with their 'laymens' view of the matter.

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Charlotte newspaper

Hi, kcire

I think you are absolutely right. After all, that is
how Windows made the Big Time.

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RadarCat, Webmaster
http://www.os2warplinks.com