About.com and Latitude conducted a very interesting research to characterize users search behavior from 59 different behavioral variables. The research included the sampling of 928 people, surveying in depth 22 more and a 20 members panel. It found that people have 3 mindsets when searching:
When the users are searching, they look for one of those 3 things: Answer me (46% of the searches), inspire me (28%) or educate me (26%). Understanding these mindset patterns can assist us connect better with visitors and clients to improve and efficient our work from home, so let’s dig a little deeper into them:
Answer Me- When people search for “answer me” queries, they want the information in the simplest way as possible without further explanations and details. For instance, they can search for a theater location near their residence, a price for an item or for sport match result.
Educate Me- When people are in an “educate me” search mindset, they are looking for all the information and details about a certain subject (query). They browse through many sites and pages until they fulfill their curiosity. For example, people may investigate how to create a blog or make an historical inquiry.
Inspire Me- The general approach when searching in the “inspire me” mindset is open minded without an obvious clear direction. People are searching for contents that will arouse, excite and interest them while they open for suggestions. For example, people that search for funny comics or motivating stories.
When you create new content, try to think what the user is looking for in terms of the 3 mindsets (answer, educate, inspire) and try to provide him exactly what he needs according to this mindset.
More Insights From The Research About Ads
88% of the participants thinks that the best ads are ones who offer themselves or provide a resource about the information they seek.
86% enjoys when brands stop selling them and try teaching them something.
77% thinks that ads are useful when they relevant to their search.
64% are saying that ads actually helped them find great options, deals or discounts.