How search engine marketing influences user knowledge gain: Development and empirical testing of an information search behavior model

TL;DR

This paper develops and empirically tests a model to understand how search engine marketing influences the quality of information users access and their subsequent knowledge gain.

Contribution

It introduces a novel model analyzing SEM's impact on information quality and user learning, addressing gaps in existing information behavior research.

Findings

SEM influences the quality of information users access.

User knowledge gain is affected by the type of documents collected.

The model provides insights into search as learning processes.

Abstract

People use search engines to find answers to questions related to their health, finances, or other socially relevant issues. However, most users are unaware that search results are considerably influenced by search engine marketing (SEM). SEM measures are driven by commercial, political, or other motives. Due to these motivations, two questions arise: What information quality is mediated through SEM? And how is collecting documents of different quality affecting user knowledge gain? Both questions are not considered by existing models of information behavior. Hence, the doctoral research project described in this paper aims to develop and empirically test an information search behavior model on the influences of SEM on user knowledge gain and thereby contribute to the search as learning body of research.