Hottest Online Brands Of 2006 Revealed

The UK’s hottest online brands of the year have been revealed, with user generated content really making an impact.

New research from Nielsen//NetRatings shows that the three fastest growing online brands in the UK all focus on technologies that allow users to define the content that their peers will look at online.

Alongside Photobucket, the photo and video sharing website, and Bebo, the social networking site, Nielsen//NetRatings says that half of the ten fastest growing brands fall under the “Web 2.0” umbrella.

Alex Burmaster, European internet analyst, said: “Last year indicated the potential for sites utilising the internet as a method for users to communicate and share information and the first half of 2006 has confirmed this.

“The idea of the user in charge through these so called “Web 2.0″ technologies is now a reality. The audience to video sharing phenomenon YouTube is testament to this, having grown by a factor of almost five during the year, meaning that more than one in eight Britons online now visit this site.”

Burmaster added: “Women currently make up 46% of the UK online population so brands such as Bebo and Odeon in particular tend to have a greater affinity with women than the internet as a whole. Conversely PhotoBucket, YouTube and American Express tend to under-perform on the female audience.”

Nielsen//NetRatings: www.nielsen-netratings.com