Almost half of all internet users now use search engines daily

Pew study report

[Tastatura]

Almost half of all internet users now use search engines on a typical day The percentage of internet users who use search engines on a typical day has been steadily rising from about one-third of all users in 2002, to a new high of just under one half (49%). With this increase, the number of those using a search engine on a typical day is pulling
ever closer to the 60% of internet users who use email, arguably the internet’s all-time killer app, on a typical day.1 Underscoring the dramatic increase over time, the percentage of internet users who search on a typical day grew 69% from January 2002, when the Pew Internet & American Life Project first tracked this activity, to May 2008, when the current data were collected. During the same six-year time period, the use of email on a typical day rose from 52% to 60%, for a growth rate of just 15%.

There are also some other interesting numbers in the report (right or wrong):
* (only) 13% of users visit social networking site daily, while 60% check email

* Percentage of 18y-29y AND 30y-49y age groups is almost the same when searching the net (~ 55%)

etc.

Pew report - PDF
[pewinternet.org...]

Related articles deciminating ata in the report:
[arstechnica.com...]
[bizreport.com...]

[Quadrille]

I'm surprised.

I'd have thought the figure would be approaching 100%.

And only 60% use email? wow!

What do these folk do? Mind you, it's not clear how much they allowed for people switching off the computer for a few days.

[piatkow]

But what percentage actually use the internet on a daily basis? Apart from IT professionals and a few nerds with no social life most people I know don't even switch their PCs on every day.

[deMorte]

The report says that "30% of internet users are offline on a typical day".

[maximillianos]

I have realized that my type of Internet usage (daily - multiple times a day) is definitely the minority. The more I talk to friends and family the more I realize most folks have lives outside the Internet.

Most of us on these boards live, breath and eat this stuff every day. Most of my friends make fun of me. Call me the "Internet Boy". We are definitely a few years away from 100% daily usage.

[Lovejoy]

My teen aged kids are on it everyday, it's how they link up as most are working odd shifts. Mine post to facebook eg " Big party at the beach monday, whose going?" and text. Most have cell phones that they used like glorified telegraph machines, hundreds of text message everyday, but rarely use it as a phone ;~)

Lovejoy

[HugeNerd]

Almost half of all internet users now use search engines on a typical day

Looks like half of all internet users have saved or memorized the URL of their favorite porn sites and no longer require search engines...

Or:

60% of internet users who use email, arguably the internet’s all-time killer app, on a typical day

They simply go into their email and open any of the 10,000 spam messages they have from porn sites and follow a link.

Enough joking about porn sites...for now.

What I don't understand is: How does a nation full of desk jockey, internet users result in email usage of only 60% daily? I suppose if you asked an office worker on Monday if they "used email yesterday" this could skew the results. However, I assume that most non-retail office personnel use email obsessively. In fact, I read recently that some companies are shutting down their email servers for an hour or two per day to force phone interactions and relieve some of the stress of trying to respond to 50, 60, 100+ emails in a day. 60% just seems low to me.

I have realized that my type of Internet usage (daily - multiple times a day) is definitely the minority. The more I talk to friends and family the more I realize most folks have lives outside the Internet.

Virtual high-five from a self-proclaimed nerd...welcome to the club, mate.