How many users use their browsers "search" button?

..and use the msn browser search to find sites

[TravelSite]

I was wondering how many users use their (I.E.) browsers "Search" button to find sites?

Is there any info on this?

[hakre]

maybe the search engines provide some stats about it.

[txbakers]

I generally go there first, then to google if I don't like the results from MSN.

[TravelSite]

Thanks

I will probably start a new post in logging and tracking to see if it can be indentified via referal logs. I'm sure msn gets as much traffic from people using this button (and doing searches in their address bar) than actually going to msn (.co.uk).

[drbrain]

I use MozillaFirebird's Search bar all the time, its just a tad handier than using the keyword bookmarks (^L google your key words).

Mozilla does not send a referer header if you have keyword "I'm feeling lucky" searches in the URLbar.

If you use the Google search bar plugin, Firebird sends an extra query string paramater (I don't know if every search plugin does this) so Google could track users of Firebird's search bar.

[sidyadav]

I too use the Search button but Google is set as my default search engine for IE so , I don't get MSN results when I press "search"

[davis]

google bar for me :)
google is where its at. msn isnt as good. :P

[TravelSite]

Thanks for all the feedback

I'd think then that msn gets a lot of traffic from inexperienced users who don't know better than to switch to google - both by using the search button and by entering a general term /unknown url in their address bar.

On that subject I tried entering the term "widgets" directly into the address bar and got [auto.search.msn.com...]

Anybody know what happening on these pages? Its not quite like msn results - are advertisers paying msn directly to appear here?

[txbakers]

I too use the Search button but Google is set as my default search engine for IE so , I don't get MSN results when I press "search"

How do you do this in IE? I can't find the settings.

[TravelSite]

I'm not sure. On this PC I have IE5 installed. When clicking on Search, the side panel has a "Customize" button near the top - that lets you select the search engine you want to use as the default - BUT Google isn't on mine! Perhaps on on a newer version google will show.