People Go Online To Do Research

Why do people go online?

One reason is to do research. Now some will do keyword research for their websites but most people will just do research to find the answer to a question. They will do product research to find a product that meets their needs.

No matter what their question or needs are, people migrate to the Internet to find answers.

It has been showed that many people (60%) will do product research online before they buy. They will find the best product for their needs. The best price for that product. And the best place online and off line to purchase that product.

If while they are doing their research your website comes up, your business could benefit from this research. Now you will need to have all the information they require about your product on your site and how to purchase it from you. This purchase could be off line at your store or online from your website.

An Example

I am interested in a new car. Being very tall (6'6") there are not many cars I can fit in and even fewer I am comfortable in. Leg room and head room are very important to me. So I started my online research. I found cars and then looked at their specifications. If the head room was OK and the leg room also, they were added to my list. I did not care about price at this point. I only wanted to find cars (not SUVs or trucks) that I could on paper fit in.

Having found my list, the next step is to try to sit in each one. Can I get in and out easily? Can I reach the brake and accelerator peddles easily. (They are some times too close for me the easily use.)

After all of that I would then do further research online about the finalists. Then potentially buy one of them.

What I want you to notice is that at no time did I look at ads, yellow pages, TV or radio promotions during this research. It was all factual Internet research. And if a specification I needed was not there, I move on to the next site or car. And that site and/or car is eliminated from my list.

Why online research?

With over 75% of Americans actively on the Internet, research online is a convenient and easy location. With the wealth of information readily available online people just naturally search there.

Paper based listings are just not used very much any more. You can find things easier and faster online. So people do.

What does this mean?

As a business owner it means that if you are not found online your competition will be found. If your website does not answer the searchers questions, they will move on. And you need to be part of a good local search process so people can find your store.

If you are not part of this process you are giving away sales to your competitors.

Back to Why People Go Online.