Which Search Do Most People Use?

In developing marketing strategies for my business, I've become really confused about the whole issue of Traffic. It seems many of the #1 Rated places in Search results (using the new Google-type Search) have extremeley LOW traffic, so it doesn't seem to be such a huge factor any more. Therefore, why is there such a to-do about traffic? Do we even need it any more?? I know that some people still use the old non-Google type search (i.e. Search Places and Classifieds) which IS traffic based.

So my question is... which type search do you use the most? This would be really great information to know so I can see if our business needs to worry about traffic or not. Thanks!

Search / Places since I get the "can't click on links"/"can't scroll scroll" in-world browser bug which makes the new search rather useless and it turns up less relevant results than Places in any case for what I use search for and it's far too clumsy to navigate through the new search results even when it does work.

As far as the new search goes, it's the one LL is determined to use in the end and information about how traffic ties into it is in the forum sticky on the new search.

I use both. If I have a place or person I know I am looking for in particular I will use the old tabs since they are a bit more focused. If I am looking for a general topic or doing a shotgun approach the new "All" is what I use.

I'm too noobie to know how to work the old search. I sometimes use it for people and I'll event search with no keywords to see everything happening for the day. But, I'm too used to Google to really make a non-Google type search work for me. (^_^)y

/me is mainly old-school.. Sometimes use the new stuff but I'll stick mostly with the old until the new catches up in functionality.

Actually I use both about equally but there wasn't an option for "both" in your poll.

Hi Dita,

I think this is a great question bc/ it is one I wonder about a lot too.

Myself, I use the new google search almost exclusively. For the most part I only use the old search when I am looking for a specific buisness name now, because I know it will yield an exact match. (Ex. If I was looking for a store called "Tree Farm" it might not be the top hit for those terms in the all search because so many places rank well for "trees," but it should be easy to spot in the old search.)

I prefer the old search, and I am very perturbed that the latest Release Candidate omits it entirely.

I'll admit the new one is working better than it used to, but there's still a LOT of content that the old Search can find, which the new web-based search is incapable of locating.

I use the new Search All. In RC 1.20.x there is a dropdown filter. People /Places / etc. When a search-within-search facility is also implemented I'll be even happier.

I still use the old one. I find it faster and easier to read the results. Also, seeing the posts here, the new search is still just as gamable, it's just that the methods for gaming it are "secret", so instead of being a perverse incentive to use campbots it's a clique... fan-tastic.

use search for finding people and that is about it

if I need to find something I either have the name of the creator, or landmarks from friends

search is too messed up to try to use it most of the time

I use an Older Viewer, 18.5.3, and I use the relevant tabs, whether I am looking for a Place, Person, or Group. I ignore numbers and Alphebetize the results.

ditto

I use:
Landmarks I have
ask a friend or group for LM I don't have
Right click and inspect to find the owner/creator of something
SLX and/or Onrez to find things I want to buy

If I use search at all anymore it's a last ditch effort

yep that pretty much sums it up

and for events I have created an inworld event listing area that I hope people will use, as it will make finding events much more fun and easy

You're asking the wrong question in the wrong place.

Most SL®™ users who come to the forums are are more familiar with the use of the internet and its tools. You should be asking which seach does the majority of SL®™ users make use of. From my experience that is the new All tab as most people have not delved very deep in to the operations of SL®™ and use the simplest and most obvious. If you ask the typical user you will find that they don't even know that they have any otehr options.

A prime example of this is how often I get IMs requesting information on how and where to purchase one of my items. They have reached my profile from the edit window of the item, opened an IM to me yet don't know that they could have gotten the information they seek from the classified tab of my profile. I blame LL®™ for not making the information on what features are available on their viewer and how to make use of them availablew to the causual user.

Well, I use both...and sometimes, every tab until I find what I need.

No option for "all of the above and then some"?

I'm not a fan of the new search at all, but I do use it. However I use the old search for finding people.

Both. New search, generally, but I prefer to use the tabs if I can, to automatically filter the search. That is, except for places. I almost never use that. I didn't use it much before new search appeared, and I haven't bothered after.

That pretty much sums it up for me as well. Rarely use search at all unless I have no other option,

the old way. EVERYTHING shows up. the new search is too tedious.

I use SLExchange to search for products. It is much easier to use than either Search Places or Search All.

I use old search all. Mostly because you can click to get a map from it. The new search, in my client at least, has teleport, but won't show you a map of the place unless it's one of the listings on the side. The other problem with the new is that it only lists some many listings per page. The average is 10 I believe. That means clicking through page after page of listings, looking for pertinant information.

Ceera,

I was using old search in what I thought was the latest RC as late as 9:30 pm last night SL time. Is there a super-new version now? There seriously are no old search tabs? As in ...no way to tell what to pay for a classified?

I use both, but vastly prefer the old tabs for searching for specific things.