Google's U.S. search share nears 70 percent

Google extended its lead in U.S. search market share.

(Credit: Hitwise)

Google's steadily increasing search share neared 70 percent in June in the United States, according to new figures released Tuesday by Hitwise.

Its share increased from 68.29 percent in May to 69.17 percent in June, the analyst firm said. Over the same period, Yahoo dropped from 19.95 percent to 19.62 percent and Microsoft dropped from 5.89 percent to 5.46 percent.

Fourth-place Ask.com has managed to eke out gains over the last year, though it slid from 4.23 percent to 4.17 percent from May to June.

Google crossed the 60 percent share threshold in July 2006, analyst Matt Tatham said, slid back the one month in August 2006, but has been north of 60 percent ever since September 2006.

Search share is important to the companies' business because it means there's a potentially larger inventory of search results against which advertisements can be sold.

The statistics are based on a sample of 10 million U.S. Internet users, Hitwise said.

[JCPayne]

Visual proof that MICROSOFT (Green) needs Yahoo(Reddish-brown).....

[fafafooey]

When can we sue them for being a monopoly?

[Manhattan2]

What is everyone searching for? By now you would think that people go directly to the 10 sites out there that have legitimate content.

[JCPayne]

Google is not a monopoly because they don't do anything to injure new comers to the industry..... Nor... does Google try to harm the competition.... Microsoft on the other-hand... When iM$ told US PC makers that if they want to be able to sell Windows they can't cut any deals with other operating system makers..... Now that is a completely different matter.

[Super2online]

I can't wait until they hit the magic threshold where they are considered a "legal" monopoly. From that point on, if they try to add anything to their search service to enhance it's benefits and anyone else is already offering a similiar if not the same benefit they can go to the the "trust busters" and sick them on them just as everyone has done to Microsoft. From that point on, Google's growth will level out, and others can innovate and begin to catch them without the threat of Google adding the same benefits to their search monopoly! You don't have to be an "illegal monoploy" for the negative problems to rear their ugly head at you!

[Super2online]

I also think at 70% they are so far ahead of everyone else that this Google/Yahoo deal should be squashed. Frankly, I can't even imagine what is going through Yang's head. Going to your biggest competitor for the sake of short term profits and to keep the sharks from swarming around their bleeding purple bodies. Desperation is all I can think of. In the long term, nothing good can become of it for them.

[ralfthedog]

I was surprised that Microsoft scored as high as they did. I would think they would be one step below Altavista. Give them a year and they will drop two places.

Google selling product to Yahoo is not anti competitive, thus it is legal. Google supporting Yahoo will not decrease competition it will increase it. If Microsoft purchases Yahoo, Yahoo will loose all value, thus removing Google's largest competitor. By letting Yahoo resell a few adds, Yahoo becomes stronger and has the resources to stay independent and grow market share.

[df561]

more interesting it appears that Microsoft's Live Cashback launch has been ineffective...and I doubt purchasing Yahoo will help, the search brand is all about Google

[Sugiarto Setiabudi]

The deal between Yahoo and Google wiil take long time effect ,only for the last resort to deter "illegal hostile take over"

[annbrown50]

I think Microsoft will be able to keep third-place despite the fact that Ask.com is quite close to third-place.
My name is Ann, my blog is http://happywoman50.blogspot.com