Title :
Sponsored Search: Is Money a Motivator for Providing Relevant Results?
Author :
Jansen, Bernard J. ; Spink, Amanda
Author_Institution :
Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park
Abstract :
Analysis of data from a major metasearch engine reveals that sponsored-link click-through rates appear lower than previously reported. Combining sponsored and nonsponsored links in a single listing, while providing some benefits to users, does not appear to increase clicks on sponsored listings. In a competitive market, rivals continually strive to improve their information-retrieval capabilities and increase their financial returns. One innovation is sponsored search, an "economics meets search" model in which content providers pay search engines for user traffic going from the search engine to their Web sites. Sponsored search has proven to be a successful business model for Web search engines, advertisers, and online vendors, as well as an effective way to deliver content to searchers. The "impact of sponsored search" sidebar describes some of the model\´s notable benefits.
Keywords :
Web sites; electronic commerce; information retrieval; marketing; search engines; Web search engines; Web sites; business model; data analysis; economics meets search model; information-retrieval capabilities; metasearch engine; nonsponsored links; sponsored search; sponsored-link click-through rates; user traffic; Data analysis; Dictionaries; Displays; Metasearch; Navigation; Search engines; Social network services; Space technology; Technological innovation; Web search; click-through rates; search; sponsored search;
DOI :
10.1109/MC.2007.290
