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Half of Internet Users Use Search Engines on Typical Day

A new high of nearly half (49 percent) of all internet users use search engines on a typical day, up from about one-third in 2002 - and closing in on the use level of email (60 percent of those online use email each day) - according to a new analysis from the Pew Internet & American Life Project (via MarketingCharts).

With a growth of 69 percent in usage from January 2002 to May 2008, search has surged ahead of other online activities, such as checking the news (39 percent of internet users, on a typical day) or the weather (30 percent), Pew found (pdf).

(See chart of internet activities conducted daily.)

In comparison, email use during the same period (2002-2008) has grown 15 percent, from 52 percent of internet users on a typical day to 60 percent.

Other findings issued by Pew, below.

Those who use search engines are more likely to be male (53 percent of men use search on a typical day, vs. 45 percent of women), to have broadband at home (58 percent of those with broadband at home use search on a typical day, vs. 26 percent of those with dialup), and to be veteran internet users (for six or more years).

They are also more likely to be younger, socially upscale, with at least some college education, and annual incomes over $50,000 per year:

• Those with higher levels of education who are online are more likely to use search:
  • College graduate: 66 percent use search on a typical day.
  • Some college: 49 percent
  • High school or less: 32 percent

• Higher-income households online are more likely to use search on a typical day:

  • $75,000: 62 percent
  • $50,000-74,999: 56 percent
  • $30,000 -49,999: 34 percent
  • Less than $30,000: 36 percent

• Younger internet users are more likely to use search on a typical day:

  • Age 18-29: 55 percent
  • Age 30-49: 54 percent
  • Age 50-64: 40 percent
  • Age 65+: 27 percent