Media Metrix: Users Surfing Without Borders

Internet measurement pioneer
Media Metrix released
statistics Monday showing that Web users explore non-domestic
sites with surprising frequency.

Both
Demon Internet and
Freeserve emerged
as popular destinations for U.S. and German users.

“Media Metrix’ findings illustrate what the ‘worldwide’
in World Wide Web really means: access and interaction
with diverse cultures and languages throughout the
world,” said Mary Ann Packo, president of Media
Metrix.

For example, in November last year, U.S. Internet users
visited more than 30 portals, free e-mail and entertainment
sites in 15 countries outside the United States.

Likewise, MMXI Europe stated that Internet users in
the U.K., France and Germany also visited portals, ISPs
and e-commerce sites far away from their home base. The
researchers give exact figures on a country-by-country basis.

Mary Ann Packo commented that the Internet was unlike
any other medium in its size and fragmented nature.
She said it presented great opportunities for advertisers,
marketers and retailers trying to reach the largest, most
demographically diverse audience possible.

So what destinations are popular with users in the United
States and United Kingdom, apart from each other?

According to Media Metrix, U.S. users frequently visit
Australia, Brazil, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy,
Japan, the Netherlands, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, and Taiwan.

U.K. users like to explore European portals, including
Yahoo! Spain,
Yahoo! Italy, French ISP
ClaraNET, and
Danish e-commerce site
Toycity.

Media Metrix does not report on all Internet traffic, but
samples traffic at over 21,000 Web sites and other online properties.