Data mining of Internet users' interests in diverse, hierarchical information needs

Abstract

Introduction. Despite the wide use of the search engine Google to access the Internet, its ability to record users' digital traces amassed over time and make this available to the public, no known study has employed this resource to examine Internet users' information-seeking behavior. This study, using Google Trends data, investigates the use of the Internet for multiple hierarchical information needs in the developing country Nigeria. Methods. A data-driven research method was used in this study. Data-driven research uses exploratory approaches to analyse big data to extract scientifically interesting insights. Analysis. Microsoft Office Excel 2007 and Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 17 were employed for data analyses. The former was used primarily for charting while the latter was used for other descriptive and inferential statistical analyses. ResultsThe findings present profiles of Internet user groups through their levels of search interests in five diverse needs. It also revealed differing levels of interest in searching for the diverse needs. Furthermore, the result shows that there is a divide between the Northern and Southern parts of Nigeria. ConclusionThe research extends studies in information seeking by utilising Web data to understand Internet users' information seeking behaviour in Nigeria.