Have you ever considered switching up your current search engine? You may even remember a time when it was a viable option to switch between different search engines like AOL, Yahoo and Alta Vista. But in 2018, Google accounted for 86% of desktop searches worldwide. Due to this, it can sometimes feel that there is only one viable search engine option, and this can mean giving away your data in the form of search history, location and IP address. DuckDuckGo is a fast-growing search engine whose main purpose is to keep your internet and data private. In October 2018, DuckDuckGo reached the exciting milestone of 30 million searches per day, 10 years after its inception by its CEO Gabriel Weinberg.
How has this growth happened?
Considering DuckDuckGo was founded in 2008, it has experienced exceptional growth in its 10 year lifespan. Most of the current growth has been achieved in the past 3 years, that has seen the search engine grow at a rate of 75% each year. Currently DuckDuckGo accounts for 0.18% of the global search market, the same global market share as AOL and Google Sri Lanka and is most particularly popular amongst tech-savvy individuals that are concerned with their online privacy. DuckDuckGo’s growth can be attributed to several privacy scandals in 2018 that included Facebook’s Cambridge Analytica breach and Google revealing it tracks you even when your location is turned off, making people more aware of how their data is being used. The company’s visibility has also skyrocked because of partnerships with web browsers including Firefox and Safari, as well as partnerships with Linux and native apps.
How is DuckDuckGo Laid Out?
DuckDuckGo’s search results rely on simplicity that many users find aesthetically pleasing, with the publication logo appearing in its search results. The search engine focuses on a list of search results rather than creation sections like Google and Bing, however results with high search volumes such as “Jennifer Lawrence” do appear in sections. Search results also include publication logos to allow for easier navigation. DuckDuckGo does also display PPC advertising that are like search ads on Google or Bing, but these ads are not based on targeted data, instead being based on keywords in your search.
How Do The Search Results Compare?
DuckDuckGo does have limited search results when compared with Google. The search engine does aim to give you quality results over quantity, with these results coming from around 400 sources that include DuckDuckBot, crowd-sourced sites, Yahoo and Bing. DuckDuckGo also gives you the option to directly search third party sites and even other search providers.
Is It Worth Giving It A Go?
While the search results from DuckDuckGo may not be as good as Googles, it still has other features that makes it a useful tool. The platform has several browser extensions that stop you from being tracked on other websites. DuckDuckGo also a nifty tool which can be used to search thousands of other sites directly from DuckDuckGo- simply search “!A Cat Costume” to search Amazon for the cutest cat costume. Want to know how long it takes to beat the new Spiderman game? “!hlb spiderman ps4”. There are currently more than 11,000 “Bangs” on DuckDuckGo to utilise.