Hit Search Limited liverpool 0845 643 9289

comScore and google release compelling data on UK online travel sector

By Andrew Redfern @ 19th February 2008 11:53 am

Further to comScore recent U.S. search data the company has released the results of a joint study they undertook with Google looking specifically at the UK travel sector. The data makes interesting reading and has a very wide data range given that 20 million people in the UK used search engines to find travel information in the first quarter of 2007. Key points include :

On average, consumers take nearly a month to go from their first search to a purchase

“On average, customers make 12 travel related searches, visit 22 websites and take 29 days from the first time they search until they make a purchase. Forty-five per cent of transactions occur four weeks or more after the first search. The time spent online is lengthy, representing a prolonged opportunity for advertisers to reach and influence consumers while they search for information.”

On average travelers visit the purchase website 2.5 times

Most shoppers visit the site they eventually purchase from more than once, averaging 2.5 visits. For tour operators this was significantly higher at 3.9. Just ten per cent of the transactions take place on the first search referral to a given site, and 38 per cent of transactions happen at four weeks or more after the first visit. Travel companies face a growing challenge to retain the online consumer as the proliferation of competition encourages travel customers to shop around.

Generic search terms play a significant role in the consumer journey to purchase

Many travel businesses could be missing out on the opportunity for additional bookings and branding opportunities by overlooking the value of advertising against generic search terms (e.g. ‘package holiday’, ‘Italy travel’).

Fifty-four per cent of online travel buyers started the shopping process with a generic product or destination search term, and 10 per cent did not use branded terms (such as ‘Thompson holiday’ or ‘EasyJet flights’) at all during their online travel shopping experience. Importantly, over a third of travel buyers use a generic term as the last search before they purchase, giving advertisers a key window to influence their purchase right up until the last minute.

Consumers change the type of keywords used as they move along the path to purchase. Of all consumers sampled that made a final purchase, 29 per cent start with a non-branded search term but end with a brand search term.

The final point is perhaps the most interesting showing that users search initially for what they want and look at what the market has to offer. The findings are summarised by Google’s Robin Frewer : “This research proves travel searchers are becoming more brand fickle – spending a large amount of time researching their desired purchase, and considering offers from competing brands. The fact that users are using more generic search queries gives ample opportunity for brands to attract new customers – and brands that are not present during these searches are missing out on sales.”

Bob Ivins, EVP of European Markets for comScore continues : “Online research and more specifically search has become a critical first step for consumers considering purchases, by studying the entire online purchase path from first search to actual transaction we are able to quantify the importance of that first search and subsequent searches, and help marketers impact purchase decision. We are delighted to have had the opportunity to leverage comScore’s global Internet usage and e-commerce tracking systems to help Google better understand how customers behave during the purchase cycle.”

The full article is available at comScore’s website.

Other Related Stories That May Be Of Interest: