A Large-Scale Study of User Image Search Behavior on the Web

In this study, we analyze user image search behavior from a large-scale Yahoo! Image Search query log, based on the hypothesis that behavior is dependent on query type. We categorize queries using two orthogonal taxonomies (subject-based and facet-based) and identify important query types at the intersection of these taxonomies. We study user search behavior on a large-scale set of search sessions for each query type, examining characteristics of sessions, query reformulation patterns, click patterns, and page view patterns. We identify important behavioral differences across query types, in particular showing that some query types are more exploratory, while others correspond to focused search. We also supplement our study with a survey to link the behavioral differences to users' intent. Our findings shed light on the importance of considering query categories to better understand user behavior on image search platforms.