🔊 Google's search choice screen had virtually no effect on search market share

Google’s search choice screen was introduced nearly a year ago as a way to appease the European Commission after it fined the company €4.3 billion (roughly $5 billion), the largest antitrust fine the commission has ever imposed. But the sector is no more competitive now than it was before Google launched the search choice screen, with Google dominating the market and other search engines hardly making a dent.

The search choice screen is presented to Android users in the EU, setting up their devices for the first time or after performing a factory reset. There are four search engines (including Google) to select from, and the user’s selection determines the default search box on their home screen and in Google Chrome.

Among the drawbacks are the limited number of alternatives to Google displayed on the screen and the fact that the screen appears only on Android devices released after March 2020. Google’s competitors win a slot on the screen by bidding to pay Google the highest fees each time their search engine is chosen by a user.

A new search choice screen could decrease Google’s mobile share as much as 20 percent in certain markets. If that figure seems high, that’s because it is, but under the current scheme, Google’s share of the mobile search market has only declined fractions of a percentage point, suggesting that the choice screen has had little, if any, effect on the competitive landscape.

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Digital Asset Management platforms, often called DAMs, are software programs that store, organize and enable the more efficient use of an organization’s entire library of digital assets.This guide from MarTech Today examines the market for enterprise DAM platforms, including the latest industry statistics and developing market trends. It can help you determine whether your company can benefit from implementing a DAM platform. Also included are profiles of 18 leading vendors, capabilities comparisons, pricing information, and recommended steps for evaluating.

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In a guide that draws on a number of resources, graphic design marketplace Crowdspring says that today’s consumer is looking for reassurance, comfort and a sense of security. In addition to wanting brands to share their values, consumers want a sense of rapport and trust: “people who are not comfortable will not do business with you,” the guide says.

Whether designing for the web, for packaging or for offline advertising channels, organizations should consider how their brand includes not just the right content, but also reassuring colors, spacious layouts and easy-to-read fonts. Another way to offer comfort is to tap into nostalgia, the guide suggests.

Why we care. There is no question that consumers are rethinking their relationships with brands. Except for perhaps the most routine purchases, the appeal of purely transactional relationships is on the downturn. Consumers want to return to brands with which they feel at ease. A sense of comfort may not be the only option: It is still possible for brands to win by being surprising, exciting and inspiring. But yes, comfort is an important factor to consider.

Join us online at SMX Report, this coming Tuesday — February 23, for a guided journey through critical search analytics issues that will help you address reporting needs, mitigate data loss, and make data-driven decisions that yield amazing results.

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“I get the sense that as we all get savvier about building and activating segments, the pendulum is swinging back a bit toward effective content and asset management. You can now micro-tune your engagement to smaller audiences. What will you say? And how will you track the efficacy of that message? Data management and content management are a double-helix.” Tony Byrne, President, Real Story Group