An interesting report published by MarketingVOX yesterday claims that more than half of internet users - 56% - do not know the difference between natural search engine results and paid search listings. The story relies on data published by Harris Interactive (who surveyed more than 2,000 internet users using search engine marketing agency iCrossing).

The following results will be manna from heaven for those companies who include sponsored search as part of their web marketing campaign:

"Google users tend to know the difference between natural and paid listings (54%), followed by Yahoo users (42%) and MSN searchers (36%)."

The study comes on the heels of one by Consumers Reports, critical of search engines for not more clearly disclosing the difference.

The results do however have significant implications for people using paid search through Yahoo! (Overture) and Google advertising. If you were to rely on the results of the Harris survey then you would HAVE to consider additional investment in paid search with Overture/Yahoo! Search (even though Google is still the search engine of choice).

The MarketingVOX article went on to say:

"Though Google is the most widely used search engine at 77 percent of users, most people are not loyal to just one engine. Thirteen percent of Google searchers say they use only Google while 11 percent of AOL members use only AOL for search and 10 percent of MSN users search only MSN.

"Younger internet users were more likely to know which listings were ads. While 47 percent of 18-34-year-olds said they knew the difference, 62 percent of those 55 and over could not tell. Experience was not a determinant: 53 percent of internet users online for more than five years could not distinguish advertising content".

Paid search is a HUGE market and these results further emphasise that it's an area worth your attention if you are serious about driving traffic to your website.