By Kevin Gold, Practical eCommerce

All advertising channels, whether Internet or traditional, reach specific demographics. Unlike traditional ad channels, evaluating search-engine demographics is a complicated practice because of a lack of reliable and available data. Yet emerging research shows some impressive differences among the top search-engine properties.

Demographic data provided by comScore Network in Internet Retailer (September 2005) showed MSN’s audience represents significant buying power. Similar research presented in June 2005 stated, “...visitors to Google sites were 43 percent more likely to buy online than the average Internet users, versus Yahoo! visitors who were 31 percent more likely to purchase; MSN users were 48 percent more likely to purchase; AOL users, three percent and Ask.com 17 percent.”

A study conducted by iProspect revealed, "MSN search had the highest percentage of U.S. visits from sites Hitwise categorized as “shopping and classifieds,” “business and finance” and “travel,” while Yahoo! Search and Google received more U.S. visits from the sites in the “education,” “news” and “media and entertainment” categories. Equally insightful, Hitwise discovered that “Google was the preferred search tool for males, while MSN Search appealed to females. Yahoo! was the more popular engine for 18- to 34-year-old searchers and MSN Search captured the over-55 crowd.”

This article is used with permission from Practical eCommerce magazine, copyright 2007. Practical eCommerce is a printed an online resource for ecommerce businesses. For tips, tools and advice to improve your ecommerce business, click here.

www.intelcosmet.com

For Nathalie van Eeckhoudt, cosmetics have always been a way of life. In her early years, she followed with her mother Tina around Europe working in the field of beauty and learning from the pure science used at European spas and beauty centers. Later, she became a certified dermo-hygienist and cosmetologist with an extensive background in the science of Phyto Aroma, which focuses on the extracts and essences of botanical origins and their aromatic values. It is from this research that she formed IntelCosmet, where her products are now reaching around the world thanks in part to her web site, www.intelcosmet.com.

IntelCosmet, Inc., which offers an all-natural skincare line, was founded by van Eeckhoudt in 2000. The company is based in Montreal, Quebec. So, in order to capitalize on local and international markets, the entire site can be read in both French and English. This is a pretty amazing feat, considering how much information about the company’s products and services can be found on the web site. This way, customers can become very informed about the company and what they offer before making any decisions.

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