Google remains the most popular search engine among US web users, according to newly published data from comScore Media Metrix. 

Google held on to its leading position in July by handling 36.5 per cent of all search queries, followed by Yahoo with 30.5 per cent and MSN with 15.5 per cent.

Relative to last year, US search queries increased by 22 per cent. But this increased market has done little to change the top search providers' respective market shares. Since the beginning of this year both Yahoo! and MSN have made small gains, but mostly at the cost of smaller search engines such as AOL, comScore vice president James Lamberti told vnunet.com.

Seasonal trends such the summer school vacations and the winter holiday season tend to have more of an impact on Google than its competitors because the engine has a relatively strong following with students and enterprises.

While the research firm noted that the popularity of special search bars is levelling off, these browser tools accounted for 11 per cent of all searches. Yahoo! has the most popular search bar, followed by Google's offering.

Lamberti credited Yahoo's lead to its web portal that gives the company access to a broad audience for the tool.

User loyalty in the search market is very low. Most users will employ multiple engines when they look for information. Google, however, tends to be used more often then the others for more complicated searches that have queries of more than four words.

"Google is attracting the more serious search user audience," said Lamberti. 

The company, however, is mostly unable to capitalise on that popularity.

"More serious searchers are less likely click on sponsored links."