This study investigates the concentration and provider distribution of Google’s top search results for commercial queries in the insurance comparison domain.
RAT was used to collect the top 10 results for 121 insurance-related search queries in Google to analyse domain and provider concentration, as well as the occurrence of multiple domains from the same provider in search results.
Abstract
This study examines how Google’s search results are distributed across domains and providers for highly commercial queries related to insurance comparisons. Using an automated data collection approach based on the Relevance Assessment Tool (RAT), 121 German-language queries were submitted to Google and over 22,000 webpages were collected. The analysis shows a strong concentration of results among a small number of providers, with only 116 domains and 93 providers appearing in the top 10 results. The most dominant providers account for a substantial share of visibility, often operating multiple domains that appear simultaneously in search rankings. These findings highlight the existence of structural biases in search results, particularly in commercially competitive domains influenced by search engine optimization (SEO). The study introduces a methodological contribution by combining domain-level and provider-level analysis, enabling a more comprehensive understanding of search result composition and potential bias.
RAT functionality used
Scrapers: Google (DE)
Publications
Article
Lewandowski, D., & Sünkler, S. (2019). What does Google recommend when you want to compare insurance offerings? A study investigating source distribution in Google’s top search results. Aslib Journal of Information Management, 71(3), 310–324. https://doi.org/10.1108/AJIM-07-2018-0172