Search vs Type Which is Faster?
We live in a time when we use our phones for everything. Whether it’s a shopping list, directions to a restaurant, or a photo of your cat, we rely on our phones for information and entertainment. But which is better: typing in your search term or asking the search engine to do this? The answer may surprise you.
In this blog post, we compare the two methods and determine that even though typing in a keyword term may be slower than scrolling through your phone with one hand, it’s still much faster when compared to using two hands. And when you’re in the middle of cooking dinner, there’s no time for two hands! If you want to find out which method really is faster in a day-to-day situation read on.
The Speed of Type vs. Search
When you type in your term, it will take about one second for the results to show up. If you just go to the internet browser on your phone and pull up the search engine, it will take an average of two seconds. For those two seconds, you’re just scrolling through your phone with one hand.
So which method is faster? When it comes down to day-to-day use, typing in your term is much faster than using two hands to scroll through your phone. And when you’re cooking dinner or doing something else that requires both hands, typing in a search term in a search engine is the clear winner. Keyword boxes are designed to help the end-user, Say you type Apple in the address bar, Apple the company will show first. This is because the computer does not know if you meant the company, a pie, etc.
Typing in a search term
The difference between typing in a term and using type is that with the type you’re able to scroll through the alphabet to find what you’re looking for. This can be faster than typing out your term. But, if you need to find something specific, there’s no way around typing it out. For example, if you wanted to find Patrick Batsman (from American Psycho), there’s no way around typing his name into the search boxes — because he’s not in the alphabetized list of suggestions. Modern browsers are designed to help the end-user get as close as it can to what it thinks you want. That is why there are search options, and input types will get you closer to what the computer thinks you want. A search engine keyword will search inputs put in by you and try to get you as close as it can to what it thinks you are looking for.
Scrolling through your phone
One of the more popular methods for searching on a phone is to scroll through your phone. This can be done with one hand, and it’s a great way to access information quickly. The downside? You’ll likely need two hands to type in the text you want to search for. Dynamic keyboards on phones today also help get you to your end goal and help with user experience in the end. Most of us have a default search engine on our phones, whether it be Google, Yahoo, Bing, Duck Duck Go. This makes search way easier than typing a URL in the bar. To type a search engine URL does get frustrating to folks. the browser address actual address compared to the default search bar is there if you do want to type it out, but most folks use a custom search engine of their choice. One wrong type in the address box and you will not find what you are looking for.

Which is Faster?
In a recent study, it was found that typing in your search term is faster than asking a search engine to do it for you. When the study was conducted, researchers found that people using their phone’s voice commands to conduct a search task took an average of five seconds longer to complete the tasks. They also found that interruptions from other phone calls and texts can make your phone nearly useless when you need it most. When we type in our keyword term, we don’t have to worry about interruptions as much as those who use voice commands.
It may take more time for you to find out what you want by typing in your term than by asking the search engine, but when you take into account how long it takes to type and how many distractions there are on mobile devices, typing is still much faster than using voice searches. The next time someone tells you they prefer voice searches because they’re faster, tell them that typing is still much faster. Even if we think we’re quick typists, we’re not always as fast as our thumbs!
Getting the most from a Search Engine
Search engines are great for finding information, but they also serve as a tool to help you find what you’re looking for by typing in just one word. They’re an essential part of our lives. Serving up editable content, proper format to give the best answer for you.
One of the most common things people do with their phones is search for something on Google or another search engine. Asking Siri or Alexa to do this for you would be slower because you have to wait for the device to respond. Typing your questions into Google is much faster! But which method is really more efficient?
It’s quicker to type in a question than it is to scroll through all your apps and websites trying to find what you need. You can also use shortcuts like “w” (which stands for Wikipedia) or “s” (for Siri). So if you’re cooking dinner with your hands full, typing in a search term will save time and make life easier since you don’t have to worry about using two hands.
Conclusion
It may seem like typing in a keyword term is the fastest way to find what you need on the internet, but scrolling through your phone is actually much, much faster.
Type vs. Search is really a matter of personal preference, but the best option is to utilize both methods to get the most out of your search engine. and your elements of type search compared to voice. A browser toolbar has many browser settings to help you find exactly what you are looking for. They are so advanced they will even auto-complete an address for you. A browser window will hold a sea of information at your fingertips. From advanced search to address bar shortcuts, it really boils down to the end-user.


Fred Skaff
Lead SEO
Fred has 10 years In the SEO world that started in web design. He has a passion for helping small business.

CALL TODAY
Our Blog
