| Search engine optimization has been very | | | | according to the survey of myclicks.us is the |
| popular over the last few years, as more and | | | | group of social media sites, which in the UK |
| more companies grow aware of the rules | | | | account for 4,5% of all web traffic. Facebook |
| governing the Internet market and realize | | | | dot com, Bebo dot com, and Myspace dot com |
| that they need to be noticed on the World | | | | are the biggest players in the UK in this |
| Wide Web in order to survive. This is | | | | sector, and along with smaller websites are |
| especially valid for one of Europe's leading | | | | quickly gaining wide popularity. This makes |
| Internet markets, the United Kingdom, where | | | | them a very favourable advertising medium. A |
| the number of web-based businesses is | | | | good example is Microsoft's deal for part of |
| constantly on the rise, the demands of online | | | | Facebook dot com, which with its 2% market |
| customers grow, and competition is fierce. | | | | share in the UK is the leader among UK social |
| In November 2007, the SEO provider myclicks | | | | media sites. The purchase gave the software |
| published website market share rankings of | | | | giant the opportunity to advertise in the |
| web traffic in the UK. The statistics is | | | | quickly growing network. The quick |
| based on UK Internet usage, ranked by volume | | | | development of social media networks has |
| of searches for the four weeks ending on | | | | overtaken that of large online stores and |
| November 30, 2007. The group with the biggest | | | | web-based e-mail clients, each of which |
| market share is that of search engines, | | | | accounts for 4% of UK's total website |
| followed by social media sites. Among search | | | | traffic. Although they are traditionally low |
| engines, google uk and google together | | | | in the chart, traditional news sites like bbc |
| account for 85% of all search engine usage, | | | | (co.uk) still manage to hold around 2% of all |
| followed by ask dot com (4%) and yahoo uk | | | | website traffic in the country. The survey |
| (3%). While Google is the unquestioned | | | | highlights several main trends in user tastes |
| leader, traditional websites such as yahoo | | | | and preferences. The undoubted new phenomenon |
| and MSN are falling behind. The reason for | | | | is social media sites, which for a very short |
| this downward trend is that while still using | | | | time have managed to overcome some |
| these portals for news and various other | | | | traditional websites, such as online stores |
| things, Internet users now prefer specialized | | | | and news sites. Another trend is the |
| search engines in order to get reliable | | | | emergence of clear favorites on the search |
| information and sources. MSN is currently | | | | engine arena. These findings are essential |
| suffering from insufficient impressions and | | | | and useful to all types of businesses and |
| is trying to expand its network. However, the | | | | especially to web-based ones, which rely |
| process is very time-consuming and has so far | | | | solely on SEO approaches to gain popularity |
| failed to produce favourable results. The | | | | and attract customers. |
| second largest holder of market share | | | | |