Google a "habitual" search engine

11th December 2007

Considering the range of search engines available, it is "strange" that internet users have let Google dominate the market, reports the BBC.

The news provider claims Google's popularity was originally down to its simply designed homepage but that new services such as Google Earth and Gmail have added to the company's industry power.

"It isn't much trouble to go to another [search engine] but people increasingly have Google on their browser window and even for those that type it in each time it has become a habitual thing," commented Nate Elliott, analyst with research firm Jupiter.

In the past, a variety of search engines were used, he added, but now despite no real evidence, users seem to assume Google produces superior results.

Mr Elliot continued with a warning that no search engine is as good as it could be due to increasing amounts of spam and "clutter".

Data measurement company comScore reported that 90 per cent of UK internet users used Google during October, reaching 29.1 million unique visitors of aged 15 or over.