Search engine rankings for April 2010 continued a pattern followed in February and March 2010, according to The Nielsen Company.
In total, US web users performed 9.72 billion online searches in April 2010, the same number performed in March 2010. Following is an overview of which search providers accounted for the majority of these searches, MarketingCharts reports:
Google Search Accounts for 2/3 of Searches
Google Search accounted for virtually two-thirds (65.7%) of all US online searches performed in April 2010, about 6.4 billion. Yahoo Search came in a distant second with 1.3 billion searches, or 13.4%. MSN/Windows Live/Bing Search closely trailed in third with 1.2 billion searches, or 12.2%.
There was a steep drop in market share between MSN/Windows Live/Bing Search and the number four search provider, AOL Search, which had 245.8 million searches, or 2.5% of the total. Ask.com rounded out the top five providers list with 184 million searches, or 1.9% of the total.
Results Virtually Unchanged from March April 2010
US search rankings were essentially the same as March 2010 search rankings, according to previous Nielsen analysis. Google Search maintained a comfortable lead in search engine usage during March 2010, with 6.39 billion searches, or 65.7% of 9.72 billion total searches. Yahoo Search came in a distant second with 1.3 billion searches, or 13.4% of the total. MSN/Windows Live/Bing Search followed with 1.2 billion searches, or 12.2% of the total.
comScore Shows Yahoo Gain
comScore’s core search rankings, which use different metrics than Nielsen’s search rankings, show Yahoo gaining traction at the expense of Google Sites in April 2010. comScore qSearch data indicates Google Sites continued its dominance of the US core search market in April 2010, although its market share declined by less than a full percentage point, from 65.1% to 64.7%.
Second-place Yahoo Sites was the biggest beneficiary of Google Sites’ market share loss, increasing its market share from 16.9% to 17.7%. Microsoft Sites’ market share remained virtually flat as it retained third place with an 11.8% share, up from 11.7% the previous month. Ask Network and AOL LLC saw their market share remain virtually unchanged as they placed fourth and fifth for the month.
