Me, Myself, and I: The Rise of Personalized Search

It’s all about me

One of the biggest shifts in the way we use search engines is personalized search, or the presumption that search results will be tailored to an individual’s needs and location.

According to Google, over the past two years, there has been a 60% increase in mobile searches that include “for me,” and an 80% increase in mobile searches containing “should I.”

Historically, when comparing products or services, consumers would often include the word best in their search queries, such as “best car insurance” or “best television.” But smart shopping doesn’t only apply to big-ticket items. In 2017, Google reported a 115% increase in “best” mobile searches for face lotion, a 165% increase in “best” mobile searches for water bottles, and a whopping 375% increase in “best” mobile searches for salt. Yes — salt.

Now, these “best” queries are becoming even more personalized as consumers turn to search engines to look for “best car insurance for me” and “the best credit card I should get.”

Location, location, location

The highly personal and conversational language is seen in another important search qualifier: “near me” and “nearby.” Our location seems to matter more, even if our searches state that…