ComScore Debuts Search-Related Analysis

comScore Networks introduced a new quarterly analysis service June 6 that will measure the impact of Web search behavior on consumer spending online and across retail channels.

The qSearch Retail service observes consumer Web search behavior at major engines, including search ad impression exposure and click activity and is based on the comScore Global Network of more than 2 million Internet users.

Studies conducted by the company during the past two years indicate that focusing only on online conversions when measuring the impact of Web searches greatly underestimates the value and impact of search, the company said in a statement.

Direct online conversions typically account for no more than five to 20 percent of all search-related purchases, although some product categories show higher conversion rates, according to comScore. With only a few exceptions, between 60 and 90 percent of conversions occur offline; the remainder occurring in latent online transactions.

ComScore's research indicates that results vary widely, underscoring the need for granular category-level, multichannel search data.