What’s on Your Mind When You Search on the Internet?

A study conducted by About.com and Latitude revealed that users searching on the Internet displays any of these three distinct human behavior: “Answer Me”, “Educate Me” and “Inspire Me.”

In giving importance to the study, Tracy Raiser, senior vice president for sales at About.com, said:

“These findings offer advertisers and marketers a better understanding and valuable insight into the way consumers search online. The Three Mindsets of Search study aims to improve the understanding of how consumers search. It’s a real opportunity for marketers to think about campaigns in a whole new light.”

By understanding these three search types, marketers can better connect with people in all three mindsets. Marketers can capitalize on an Answer Me (46%) moment by featuring product benefits front and center, in addition to aligning content that presents quick, easy-to-find answers. For the Educate Me (26%) search mindset, it is essential to create messaging that is informative, in addition to providing a way to learn more about the topic from multiple angles and aligning with content that presents in-depth information and resources. For the Inspire Me (28%) mindset, marketers should align with content that inspires creativity and offers endless choices. Too many ideas are never enough – people consume inspirational content in multiple formats on the same topic as long as it excites their imagination.

In addition to the identified three mindsets, respondents to the study also revealed that when it comes to advertising:

64% agreed that ads helped them find great options, deals or discounts;
77% agreed that ads can be useful when they are very relevant to their search;
88% felt the best ads are the ones that work with the information source to help you get what you need; and
86% noticed and enjoy when brands stop trying to sell you something and focus on teaching you something

How about you? What mindset do you have when searching on the Internet?