How do you search for information?
Google. Reddit. TikTok. YouTube. Spotify. Facebook Groups. Twitter. The list grows every day.
As an 80s kid, I had the library and my mother. Eventually, I settled on Google as my preferred search engine. But in the past decade, I've found myself on Reddit, Twitter, and even Yelp to discover the world and enhance my life.
There are 4 factors that influence our search choice:
Technology Adoption
Expertise
Medium
Social
Do you try new search engines?
My 70-year-old father uses AOL to search. Technology feels overwhelming to him. I fight the urge to judge.
My 13-year-old niece flips between TikTok, Minecraft, and YouTube. She's comfortable with any tool that's put in front of her.
Do you use one platform for every search?
Do you need the 'right' answer?
When we search, incorrect information has consequences. Some are more devastating than others. The wrong restaurant? Not the end of the world. Accidentally deleting everything on your phone? Yikes.
No search engine is perfect, but surfacing the 'best' result depends on the sophistication of the platform. Do you even care if the answer is the best?
How do you consume information?
Visual platforms like Instagram are going to be the best for visual searches (in theory). Some How-Tos are more effective via video. You might search YouTube or TikTok. Factual information is most likely found on Wikipedia.
Does your brain gravitate towards visuals, video, texts, or interactive content?
Do you trust people? (For better or for worse)
Communities. Word of mouth. Social proof. We trust the expertise and experience of others to point us in the right direction. Consensus of the groups is powerful too.
We search review sites, social media platforms or community groups.
Who do you trust to point you in the right direction?
Your personality drives which search tools you use
Take a moment to reflect. What influences your search habits the most and what does that say about you?
Maybe your next search will take you somewhere unexpected.