Search Engines More Credible Than TV Ads

Who would wonder? In a world of changing values and cultures, decline in importance of traditional media, and credibility issues of this media channelstraditional media that does not meet consumer demands, accompanied by an increasing importance of the web, students rely more frequently on Internet search engines.

"The findings included the conclusion that 81 percent of college students rated search engines as the best source of information; friends and family were rated best by 64 percent of students, while just 34 percent said traditional media was their best source of information. (The numbers add up to more than 100 because an information source was considered "best" if students placed it in the top two boxes on a five-point scale.)

Seventy-seven percent of college students also told researchers that keyword searches provide the most relevant information, compared to 64 percent of students who said the same about family and friends, and 34 percent who said that traditional media provided the most relevant information.

When it came to trustworthiness, search came in second to family and friends--but by a small margin. Sixty-five percent of students said that family and friends were the most credible source of information, but 63 percent said the same about search; only 35 percent rated traditional media as most credible."

(By Asia Business Consulting)