How are people searching for ‘the best’? What kind of things do people search for?
They’re using search across the spectrum, for items big and small. Sure, people are still going to search for “best car” or “best TV,” but we’ve also seen significant growth in mobile searches for things like “best face lotion” or “best moisturizer,” which have grown over 115% in the last two years2 (for example, “best moisturizer for face,” “best face lotion for dry skin,” etc.).
And they’re looking for specific answers. It’s not just “best car insurance,” it’s “best car insurance for me.” It’s not only “best shoes,” it’s “best shoes for standing all day” or “best walking shoes for women.”
We also see how “best” takes on different meanings in different contexts. Someone searching for “best champagne” is likely looking for different answers than someone looking for “best champagne for mimosas.”
Any insight into why getting ‘the best’ is important to consumers?
It’s about confidence. We’re seeing people do more extensive research for both big and seemingly small purchases so they can be confident they’re making a good decision. “Getting the most for my money” is something people told us. That and they want to be sure they won’t “later regret buying the items.”
What kind of results do they expect to get back when they type in ‘the best’?
Consumers told us searching “best” helps save time by returning a curated list of fewer options or aggregated rankings, ratings, or reviews from consumers and experts. You can see the difference between search for results for gas grill and for best gas grill. People also like seeing videos that show the product in action or are made by people “just like them” who had similar criteria. Corroborating all of these sources helps consumers feel confident that this choice is right for them too.
