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Experian Launches Hitwise Internet Measurement Services for France

Further expands Experian’s digital marketing capabilities in France


New York, N.Y., Feb
9, 2010 - Experian, the global information services company, has further expanded its Marketing Services portfolio in Europe with the launch of Experian Hitwise in France. Experian’s Internet measurement service will help domestic and international marketers operating in France to improve their online marketing, content development, affiliate strategies and search tactics.

Experian Hitwise is reporting on more than 75,000 websites across 100+ industries and over 1 million search terms, based on the anonymized and aggregated Internet activity of 90,000 French Internet users from all over the country.  Experian Hitwise also operates in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Canada and Brazil.

“We are delighted to continue the global expansion of Experian’s Marketing Services products and services with the launch of Hitwise in France,” said Jonathan Hulford-Funnel, Managing Director of Experian Marketing Services in EMEA. “From a digital marketing perspective, France has the second largest broadband population in Europe , and Experian Hitwise is now able to provide marketers with specific insights into consumer behavior as well as competitors’ marketing activities. This data is crucial to improving and measuring online marketing and complements our Experian CheetahMail e-mail marketing service in France.“

The Hitwise France service will provide clients with data on website industry and category rankings, Clickstream traffic activity, search behavior and keyword research. Clients also will have access to additional tools to create custom categories, search term portfolios and customized dashboards.

Visit the Hitwise France web site at: http://fr.hitwise.com

Google.fr is the most visited website in France, accounting for 1 in every 10 Internet visits

During the week ending 30/01/10, Google France (www.google.fr) was the most visited website in France, picking up 10.38% of all French Internet visits – equivalent to 1 in every 10. Two other Google-owned properties also appeared in the list of the 10 most visited websites in France during the same week: YouTube (www.youtube.com) at number 4 and Google.com at number 7.

Top 10 Websites France.jpg

Facebook is the second most visited website in France, accounting for 6.83% of all French Internet visits during the week ending 30/01/10. The site accounted for just under half of all French visits to social networks over the same period, picking up over twice as many visits as second placed YouTube. Skyrock (www.skyrock.com) is the third most popular social network in France, and the eighth most popular website overall.

Windows Live Mail (mail.live.com, also known as Windows Live Hotmail) is the third most visited website in France and the most popular webmail service. Orange France Webmail (webmail.orange.fr) is the next most popular webmail service and fifth most visited website overall, while Orange France (www.orange.fr) ranks sixth. The list of the top 10 websites in France is completed by Leboncoin.fr, the most popular Shopping and Classifieds website, at number nine, and MSN France in tenth position.

Social networking is a more popular activity in France than in the UK, but online shopping less so

Search Engines are the most visited category of website in France, accounting for 14.27% of all French Internet visits during the week ending 30/01/10. Social networks and Forums rank second, picking up 12.85% of French Internet visits – more than the 10.61% the industry accounts for in the UK. Shopping and Classifieds websites, on the other hand, account for a higher percentage of Internet visits in the UK (8.74%) than in France (8.44%).

“France and the UK have very similar sized Internet populations, so it is interesting to compare the different ways in which the web is used in the two countries,” commented Robin Goad, European Research Director at Experian Hitwise. “In France, more online time is spent on communication and entertainment than in the UK, with Entertainment websites and Webmail services also picking up a higher proportion of visits. On the other hand, people in the UK are more likely to use the Internet to make transactions and look for information. News and Media, Sports, Travel, and Education websites all account for a higher proportion of Internet visits in the UK than in France.”

Top online industries France vs UK.jpg

About Experian Hitwise
Experian Hitwise is the leading online competitive intelligence service. Experian Hitwise gives marketers a competitive advantage by providing daily insights on how 25 million Internet users around the world interact with more than 1 million Web sites. This external view helps companies grow and protect their businesses by identifying threats and opportunities as they develop. Experian Hitwise has more than 1,500 clients across numerous sectors, including financial services, media, travel and retail.

Experian Hitwise (FTS:EXPN), http://www.experianplc.com, operates in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Canada and Brazil. More information about Experian Hitwise is available at www.hitwise.com.

For up-to-date analysis of online trends, please visit the Hitwise Research Blog and Hitwise Data Center.

About Experian
Experian is the leading global information services company, providing data and analytical tools to clients in more than 65 countries. The company helps businesses to manage credit risk, prevent fraud, target marketing offers and automate decision making. Experian also helps individuals to check their credit report and credit score and protect against identity theft.

Experian plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN) and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 index. Total revenue for the year ended March 31, 2009, was $3.9 billion. Experian employs approximately 15,000 people in 40 countries and has its corporate headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, with operational headquarters in Nottingham, UK; Costa Mesa, California; and São Paulo, Brazil. 

For more information, visit http://www.experianplc.com.

Experian and the marks used herein are service marks or registered trademarks of Experian Information Solutions, Inc.

Other product and company names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.