Online customers have given Google high ratings, stating it is one of the most satisfying Web sites to visit out of all search engines and news sites, Editor & Publisher reported Tuesday.

The scores are produced by data from the University of Michigan, which publishes a quarterly report, The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). NYTimes.com and USAToday both received high marks for their sites in the news and information category, with scores of 75 and 73, respectively. Google's score was 86.

The ACSI measures evaluations by customers of the quality of services and products in the United States, and the index is compiled with help from the American Society of Quality and CFI Group, which is supported in part by ForeSee Results, E&P reported.

Google's score grew 10 percent from last year, while the NYTimes.com's score grew 2.7 percent, and USAToday's score grew 1.4 percent year-over-year.

“People are starting to go directly to the Web site or use bookmarks if they know what they're looking for, rather than using a portal,” Larry Freed, president and CEO of ForeSee Results, said in a statement, according to E&P. “Google is best positioned to take advantage of this trend, while the rest are struggling to maintain relevancy.”

Yahoo's 2008 score fell 3 percent, to 77. However, in 2007, it made gains over its 2006 scores. The downturn could be due to turmoil caused by Microsoft's takeover bid of Yahoo! earlier this year, E&P reported.

“Instead of focusing on the consumer experience, Yahoo's energies were tied up fighting off a hostile takeover bid. ... In that time, Yahoo lost several key managers and consumer perceptions may have been adversely affected by extensive negative press surrounding the merger,” the press release stated.