Web searching is catching up to e-mail as the primary activity for U.S. Internet surfers, according to a recent Pew Internet & American Life tracking survey.
Number of Americans who use the Internet every day: 94 million
Number who read or wrote e-mail on an average day in:
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June 2004: 57 million
September 2005: 74 million
Percent increase: 29.8
Number who used search engines in:
June 2004: 38 million
September 2005: 59 million
Percent increase: 55.3
Percent of Internet users each day who:
Wrote/read e-mail: 77
Used a search engine: 63
Read news: 46
Did job-related research: 29
Instant-messaged: 18
Banked: 18
Participated in a chat room: 8
Booked travel: 5
Read blogs: 3
Participated in an auction: 3
SOURCE: Pew Internet & American Life Project, search engine use report, November 2005
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