Googling versus Binging

A recent Search Engine Report, released by Vizisense.com, an online audience measurement firm, indicates that Bing.com, even after completing more than two months of its launch, still struggles to create any noticeable dent in the supremacy of Google.com in India.

The report reveals that of the total number of searches carried out in June 2009 in India, only 2.53 per cent searches took place on Bing.com, while majority of the searches were routed through Google, which garnered 90.76 per cent share of searches, while 6.33 per cent of the searches were conducted through Yahoo!.

Microsoft announced the launch of Bing.com on May 28 and it was completely rolled out by June 03.

Bing.com received only 2.28 per cent share of total searches in July, the Vizisense report points out. Even Yahoo! had experienced a minor reduction as it managed to grab 6.21 per cent share of the total searches carried out by users on the Internet.

It seems that the combined loss of Bing.com and Yahoo! Search was Google's gain, which raced ahead with 91.19 per cent share of the searches conducted in July.

The report further indicates that apart from the decline in the number of searches, Bing.com also experienced a noticeable decline in the total number of users opting for it in July, as compared to June.

About 18.26 per cent of the search users used Bing.com in June, while 14.81 users conducted searches on Bing in July. The total number of users conducting searches on a specific search engine is represented by the share of search penetration.

On the other hand, both Yahoo! and Google had gained users in July. Yahoo! got 26.29 per cent, while Goolge.com had received 92.11 per cent of the total search users in June. In July, the number of search users had increased to 27.40 per cent users on Yahoo! and 93.17 per cent on Google.

Although Bing.com has not been able to create wrinkles in Google's search domination in India as yet, it will be an interesting player to watch out for, especially after it signed a search and advertising deal with Yahoo! on July 29. Under the deal, Microsoft Corporation will power the search on Yahoo! properties.

Bing.com and Yahoo! Search, combined together, command a share of 37.90 per cent of the total search users in India in July 2009, according to the Vizisense.com search engine report.

Amit Bhartiya, business head, ViziSense.com, says, "If Yahoo! and Microsoft become successful in keeping these 38 per cent customers, the Indian online search space can display a very different footprint in the months to come."

The findings of the ViziSense.com Search Engine Report are based on a panel study of 40,000 Internet users in India.