Internet and tech companies dominate brand influence and market share of website visits
MARCH 15, 2012 – Five of the top 10 most influential brands among internet users in Canada are internet or tech companies, according to a November 2011 Ipsos Reid survey. Microsoft and Google came in first and second, respectively. Apple ranked fourth, Facebook seventh and YouTube ninth.
Interestingly, many of these brands’ web properties were also among Experian Hitwise’s top 10 websites ranked by market share of total visits by internet users in Canada in January 2012.
While internet and tech companies’ websites reach a broad audience both because they understand the online environment best and use the web as the primary place where they find their customers, traditional brands and industries can benefit from a varied web presence as well. Other brands in Ipsos’s top 10 included President’s Choice (grocery chain Loblaws’ private label), Wal-Mart, the CBC, Visa and loyalty and rewards specialist Air Miles. All of these companies have a strong presence online via websites, ecommerce, streaming media and social networks, which surely helps them build and maintain their influence.
According to eMarketer’s forecast, Canada will reach an internet penetration rate of 77%, or 26.4 million people, in 2012, up 1.5% from 2011. A majority of people in the country are going online regularly. This data, when combined with the strong correlation between top websites and Ipsos’s survey data, suggests that a solid web presence might boost a brand’s influence significantly.
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