One in 20 Internet Visits Went To Social Networking Websites says Grafdom

PRLog (Press Release) – Feb 03, 2007 – Grafdom, the region’s leading online competitive intelligence unit, announced that one in every 20 Internet visits went to one of the top 20 social networking websites in November 2006, nearly double the share of visits compared to a year ago. This and other findings were released today in the Grafdom Consumer Generated Media Report, which examines recent trends in social networking, photo sharing and online video.

MySpace was the undisputed leader in social networking, receiving 82 percent of visits among the top 20 leading social networking websites in November 2006. Visits to MySpace increased by 51 percent from March to September 2006, outpacing category growth in visits of 34 percent. Other social networking websites which received larger than average growth in market share of visits were: Bolt, up 271 percent; Bebo, up 95 percent; Orkut, up 63 percent; and Gaia Online, up 41 percent.

The influence of MySpace crosses over into other industries as users integrate social networking visits with other web activity. In November 2006, 2.6 percent of visits to Shopping & Classifieds websites came directly from MySpace. Other industries receiving increased traffic from MySpace were Telecommunications, Banks and Financial Institutions, and Travel.

The report also highlights how photo hosting and user generated video websites have become a new cog in the creation of content and present additional opportunities for advertisers. The market share of visits to the leading photo hosting website, PhotoBucket, increased by 43 percent from March to September 2006, while visits to community-oriented photography website Flickr increased by 49 percent and visits to YouTube were up 249 percent in the same period. YouTube ranked at number 26 among all Internet domains, and Photobucket ranked at number 34.

"This report shows how influential the creation and consumption of user content has become as a web activity, and demonstrates its significance in driving web traffic to other categories," said Susan Williams, director of research at Grafdom. The use of social networking, photo hosting, and online video websites represent a significant shift in online user behavior, and Grafdom BrowseStream data is particularly useful in understanding how these users are interacting with the web."

About Grafdom.
Grafdom is strategically positioned to pioneer the IT & Web industry and further build compelling synergies with business partners. It strives to spur revolutionary concepts of web modules, graphic design and e-commerce. Grafdom has grown exponentially since its early days, supplementing 3D animation design and print media to its line of corporate services. The company empowers businesses to expand into seamless online platforms and fortify their envisioned brands globally.

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