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Longer Searches Increase 3% in October 2009

Searches containing five to more than eight words in length increased 3% between October and September 2009 among US users, and searches of eight or more words increased 4% during the same time period, according to an analysis by Experian Hitwise.

The same time period saw shorter search queries - those averaging one to four words long - decrease 1% month over month. Searches containing just one word - which continue to account for the majority of searches - amounted to to 24% of all queries.

October results are consistent with the continuing trend toward the use of more words in searches. Between August and September 2009, longer search queries between five and eight words increased an average of 2%, while the longest searches - of eight or more words - increased 6%.

The continued trend toward increasing search-query length was first reported earlier this year, and could likely be the result of growing sophistication in internet searching habits. Additionally, longer and more detailed searches may now be  necessary to find more specific information amid burgeoning web clutter.