Legal searches at Google more than two times Yahoo and MSN combined

Lawyers and legal marketing professionals routinely ask about having an effective search engine presence at Google, Yahoo, and MSN. Fact is you should be focused on Google. It’s Google where your prospective clients and those who influence them are looking for lawyers and legal information.

Last month Google handled 52.7% of U.S. Web search queries, compared with 20.2% for Yahoo, 13.3% for MSN/Windows Live Search, and 5.5% for AOL (Google runs AOL searches). The number of queries handled at Google rose 46% compared with a year earlier, while queries increased 77% at Microsoft, 20% at Yahoo and 9% at AOL. This per NetRatings Inc.

Also note, and my intent is not to slight anyone, that Google users tend to be a little more sophisticated searchers. Internet users are going to Google to find what they are looking for asap. They are not browsing news and entertainment features as on Yahoo and MSN. And note that MSN probably comes as the default home page on 99% of PC’s – they come with Internet Explorer and it’s a safe bet how Microsoft set the default. Many of those folks think ‘MSN is the Internet.’

We’re also seeing sophisticated Internet users toggle to Google News and Google Blog Search directly from the main Google search page. They’re not getting a comparable experience at Yahoo and MSN.

Google may have missed analysts’ earnings expectations this last quarter because of increased HR expenses, but the world of search, including your existing and prospective clients as well those who influence them, is heading to all Google.