comScore Releases Top Japan Web Site Rankings for October 2008
Financial Market Turmoil Drives Internet Traffic in October
Yahoo! Sites and Google Sites Lead as Most Visited Properties
TOKYO, JAPAN, December 15, 2008 – comScore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR), a leader in measuring the digital world, today released its rankings of the largest and fastest-growing Internet properties and site categories in Japan for October 2008, based on data from the comScore World Metrix audience measurement service. Business/finance sites saw visitation growth in October due to the global financial crisis, while retail sites saw gains due to the upcoming holiday shopping season and seasonal purchases.
“During these uncertain financial times, many people turn to the Internet for the most up-to-date news on the state of the financial markets both at home and abroad,” said Maru Sato, managing director of comScore Japan. “The Web also plays an integral role in helping people better manage their personal finances as they prepare for the short and long term effects of the current economic situation.”
Top Gaining Site Categories for October 2008
Retail – Department Stores ranked as the top-gaining category in October with a 49-percent increase to 2.4 million visitors, as users sought items for both the upcoming holidays, as well as the approaching winter season. Financial-related categories gained during October as a result of market turmoil both in Japan and throughout the world. Personal Finance sites grew 11 percent to nearly 13 million visitors as people were more keenly interested in the health of their finances during the economic downturn. The Business/Finance category experienced a 9-percent increase to nearly 22 million visitors, propelled largely by visitors seeking the most up-to-date financial news and information during October.
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Top Gaining Site Categories by Number of Unique Japanese Visitors October 2008 vs. September 2008 Total Japan, Age 15+ - Home and Work Locations* Source: comScore World Metrix |
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| Site Category | Total Unique Visitors (000) | ||
| Sep-2008 | Oct-2008 | % Change | |
| Total Internet : Total Audience | 57,933 | 58,515 | 1 |
| Retail - Department Stores | 1,611 | 2,396 | 49 |
| Health | 7,134 | 8,452 | 18 |
| Community - Family | 3,400 | 3,982 | 17 |
| Personal Finance | 11,580 | 12,829 | 11 |
| Business/Finance | 20,104 | 21,881 | 9 |
* Excludes traffic from public computers such as Internet cafes or access from mobile phones or PDAs.
Top Gaining Properties for October 2008
News and financial-related sites represented a large portion of the top-gaining properties for October. Information sites saw increased traffic due to news of the tumultuous financial markets as well as interest in the four Japanese professors who were announced as Nobel Laureates for 2008. Traffic to Sankei Shimbun grew by 20 percent to 9.6 million visitors, Asahi-net.or.jp, was up 19 percent to 3 million visitors, and TBS Group increased 17 percent to 5.5 million visitors.
Personal finance site Mizuho Financial Group grew by 13 percent to 3.6 million visitors.
Bellemaison.jp, one of the largest online retail sites in Japan and the top-gaining property for October, grew 41 percent to 2.6 million visitors as people sought seasonal and holiday retail items. Recipe site Cookpad.com increased 11 percent to 3.4 million visitors as winter cooking ideas and holiday recipes gained seasonal popularity.
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Top 10 Gaining Properties by Number of Japanese Unique Visitors* October 2008 vs. September 2008 Total Japan, Age 15+ - Home and Work Locations** Source: comScore World Metrix |
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| Property | Total Unique Visitors (000) | ||
| Sep-2008 | Oct-2008 | % Change | |
| Total Internet : Total Audience | 57,933 | 58,515 | 1 |
| BELLEMAISON.JP | 1,843 | 2,608 | 41 |
| Disney Online | 2,307 | 2,836 | 23 |
| Sankei Shimbun | 8,035 | 9,634 | 20 |
| ASAHI-NET.OR.JP | 2,475 | 2,950 | 19 |
| TBS Group | 4,677 | 5,481 | 17 |
| MYCOM.CO.JP | 2,301 | 2,689 | 17 |
| Mizuho Financial Group | 3,236 | 3,642 | 13 |
| NTV.CO.JP | 3,177 | 3,532 | 11 |
| COOKPAD.COM | 3,089 | 3,429 | 11 |
| MAPION.CO.JP | 5,069 | 5,562 | 10 |
*Ranking based on the top 100 Japanese properties in October 2008.
** Excludes traffic from public computers such as Internet cafes or access from mobile phones or PDAs.
Top 10 Properties for October 2008
Yahoo! Sites maintained its top ranking in October reaching more than 49 million visitors, followed by Google Sites with 37.8 million visitors and Rakuten Inc. with 31.3 million visitors.
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Top 10 Properties by Number of Japanese Unique Visitors October 2008 vs. September 2008 Total Japan, Age 15+ - Home and Work Locations* Source: comScore World Metrix |
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| Property | Total Unique Visitors (000) | ||
| Sep-2008 | Oct-2008 | % Change | |
| Total Internet : Total Audience | 57,933 | 58,515 | 1 |
| Yahoo! Sites | 48,508 | 49,203 | 1 |
| Google Sites | 37,244 | 37,767 | 1 |
| Rakuten Inc | 31,544 | 31,273 | -1 |
| FC2 inc. | 28,828 | 28,710 | |
| NTT Group | 28,516 | 28,604 | |
| Microsoft Sites | 28,747 | 27,960 | -3 |
| Wikimedia Foundation Sites | 23,326 | 23,169 | -1 |
| GMO Internet Group | 23,661 | 23,026 | -3 |
| Nifty Corporation | 23,068 | 22,995 | |
| Livedoor | 23,043 | 22,788 | -1 |
* Excludes traffic from public computers such as Internet cafes or access from mobile phones or PDAs.
About comScore
comScore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR) is a global leader in measuring the digital world and preferred source of digital marketing intelligence. For more information, please visit www.comscore.com/boilerplate
Contact:
Sarah Radwanick
Manager Marketing Communications
comScore, Inc.
+1 206 268 6310
press@comscore.com
