News

THE OLD COLLEGE SHOPPER PREGNANT SEARCH

The eStrategyOne Buzz
By Rich Ottum

Two recent lifestyle studies confirm what you might expect about how college students, shoppers, and parents-to-be find the information they seek. According to a report from search marketing agency iCrossing, New York, and Harris Interactive, "77 percent of adults who research online before making a purchase decision use search engines." Of these, 54 percent use search engines to find a website to make their purchase, and 43 percent use search to find a local store for the purchase.

Yahoo! Search Marketing, Greenberg Brand Strategy, Compete Inc. and Hall & Partners released another study with information about college students and parents-to-be (not pregnant college students.) "81 percent of college students rate search as their best source of information, followed by friends and family, 64 percent; newspapers, 36 percent; and TV, 24 percent." 86 percent of expecting parents consider search their best source of pregnancy information, surpassing books at 68 percent, newspapers, 36 percent, and television at 24 percent.

The moral of the story is simple. If you want to reach these people, you need a search marketing strategy.

Susan Kohl, APR
Sierra Communications
www.sierracomm.com
(209) 586-5887