Online Traffic to Property Related Websites in Hong Kong Fell by 40 Percent in August, According to Experian Hitwise
Hong Kong, 15 September 2010 – According to Experian Hitwise, a leading online competitive intelligence service, visits by Hong Kong Internet users to property related websites fell dramatically in the month of August, decreasing by 40 percent (see figure 1). Despite the fall in August, the traffic to property related websites has increased overall by 31.8 percent since January this year (see figure 2).
The recent announcement by the Hong Kong Government on August 14, to implement new measures to curb rapid real estate price rises is the likely reason for the drop in traffic in the month of August, as consumers in Hong Kong monitor the impact these measures will have on the market.
Prior to the announcement, Hong Kong Internet traffic to property websites was on the increase, up 15 percent from August 13 to 15, accounting for 0.39 percent of share of visits by Hong Kong Internet users. Following the announcement, share of visits to property related websites decreased by 23 percent over a five day period (August 15 to 20), accounting for just 0.30 percent of share of visits (see Figure 3).
Figure 1
Source: Experian Hitwise Hong Kong (September 2010)
Figure 2
Source: Experian Hitwise Hong Kong (September 2010)
“The insights that marketers can gain from these Internet statistics are extremely valuable to identify trends. You also get predictive insights to improve targeting and engage consumers with performance-oriented marketing initiatives to win over competitors,” said Graeme Beardsell, Managing Director for South Asia at Experian. “With our depth of experience helping businesses convert data into insights, Experian Hitwise can play a vital role in helping companies identify opportunities and conduct marketing campaigns in response to different market trends specifically in Hong Kong. This will enable marketers to successfully engage and influence target customers in a timely manner.”
Figure 3
Source: Experian Hitwise Hong Kong (September 2010)
Search engines and portals remained the predominant navigation channel for Hong Kong Internet users to reach property related websites, with Yahoo! Hong Kong and Yahoo! Hong Kong Search accounting for 31.29 percent of referral traffic in August. Facebook was identified as the major social network representing 11.72 percent of upstream visits (see Figure 4).
“The fact that search engines and portals rank as the top navigation channel to property related websites for Hong Kong Internet users, highlights the need for businesses to closely monitor such online traffic trends. This will enable them to identify where they should target to engage their audience effectively. In addition, website owners should ensure their content is easily found through search engine optimization,” advises Beardsell.
Figure 4: Upstream websites visited before Business and Finance – Property
Source: Experian Hitwise Hong Kong (September 2010)
About Experian
Experian is the leading global information services company, providing data and analytical tools to clients in more than 90 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 31 March 2010 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.
For more information on Experian Hong Kong, visit http://www.experian.com.hk
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About 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 websites. 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), 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.hk.
For up-to-date analysis of online trends, please visit the Hitwise Research Blog at www.ilovedata.com and Hitwise Data Centre at www.hitwise.com/hk/resources/data-centre.
Contact:
Margaret Lam
Experian Public Relations
Telephone: +852 2839 5276
Email: margaret.lam@hk.experian.com
Emma Jenkins
LEWIS Communications
Telephone: +852 3965 3329
Email: emma.jenkins@lewispr.com