Enhanced Information Scent, Selective Discounting, or Consummate Breakdown: The Psychological Effects of Web-Based Search Results
We report results from three experiments that broadly examined Web users' psychological responses to search results featured on a mock search engine. Study 1 examined the interplay between search result relevance and ad relevance and showed that the former is the critical variable in affecting user attitudes toward both the search engine and the ad. Study 2 offered further evidence regarding the overwhelming influence of search relevance, with study results suggesting that neither individual motivations nor ad relevance played a significant role in affecting user attitudes. Finally, Study 3 supported the proposition that the persuasiveness of a relevant text-based ad appearing with relevant search results can be enhanced by adding a visual image to the ad. We point out the implications of the findings and recommend future directions for media effects research in the domain of search engines.