This research focuses on what users know about search engine optimization (SEO) and how well they can identify results that have potentially been influenced by SEO. We conducted an online survey with a sample representative of the German online population (N = 2,012). We found that 43% of users assume a better ranking can be achieved without paying money to Google. This is in stark contrast to the possibility of influence through paid advertisements, which 79% of internet users are aware of. However, only 29.2% know how ads differ from organic results. The term "search engine optimization" is known to 8.9% of users but 14.5% can correctly name at least one SEO tactic. Success in labelling results that can be influenced through SEO varies by search engine result page (SERP) complexity and devices: participants achieved higher success rates on SERPs with simple structures than on the more complex SERPs. SEO results were identified better on the small screen than on the large screen. 59.2% assumed that SEO has a (very) strong impact on rankings. SEO is more often perceived as positive (75.2%) than negative (68.4%). The insights from this study have implications for search engine providers, regulators, and information literacy.
翻译:这项研究侧重于用户对搜索引擎优化(SEO)的了解,以及他们能够发现可能受到SEO影响的结果。我们与德国在线人口的抽样代表(N=2,012)进行了在线调查。我们发现,43%的用户认为,在不向谷歌付钱的情况下,可以取得更好的排名。这与通过付费广告产生影响的可能性形成鲜明对比,79%的互联网用户知道这一点。然而,只有29.2%的用户知道广告与有机结果有何不同。8.9%的用户知道“搜索引擎优化”这一术语,但14.5%的用户可以正确指出至少一种SEO策略。通过SEO获得的标签成功结果因搜索引擎结果页面(SERP)的复杂程度和装置而不同:使用简单结构的SERPS的参与者在SERP上取得了更高的成功率。SEO在小屏幕上发现的结果比在大屏幕上发现得更好。59.2%的假设SEO对排名有(非常)的强烈影响。SEO通常被看成是正面的(75.2%),而不是负面的(68.4%)。这项研究的发现,对引擎的搜索供应商的见解具有影响。