Google search performance shows increase

by Tristan O'Carroll, Media Week 30-May-08, 10:35

LONDON - Following a decline in first quarter US paid-click search advertising, Google has managed to reignite growth, according to April data from comScore.

Last month, Google's paid clicks grew by 19.6% year on year, improving on a decline in its first quarter performance. US paid-clicks declined by 0.3% year on year in January and grew by only 3.1% year on year in February and by 2.7% year on year in March.

The comScore paid-click data reveals only Google's US search ad performance, and Google's international business now contributes the majority of the company's growth. However, analysts view the performance of the US search market as a key barometer of how the international search market is likely to perform in the future.

Meanwhile, according to reports, the paid clicks of Google rivals Yahoo and Microsoft paid clicks declined in April. Yahoo was down 4.4% in April and Microsoft was down by 9% year on year. Analysts said the weak numbers highlight the logic behind a proposed merger between the two companies.

However, AOL's strategy of refocusing itself as an advertising platform appears to be paying off. Its April paid clicks were up 28.3% year on year, according to comScore.