IN ASSOCIATION WITH

 About Us 

Bebo grows in popularity in Ireland
14-03-2007
by Maxim Kelly

Bebo's popularity amongst Ireland's young people may have pushed it to the top of the list of websites viewed in Ireland.

The social networking site has pipped Google as the number one trafficked website in Ireland according to statistics from Alexa Internet -- a subsidiary of Amazon.com that provides statistics on web traffic.

Alexa calculated Bebo's "internet reach" has increased 73 percent compared to three months ago. Reach in this instance is defined as the percentage of Alexa's global internet users who visit Bebo and is calculated by looking at percentage change in the average number of weekly visitors to the site.

When the number of pages viewed by users is combined with the reach figure -- known as traffic rank -- Bebo has improved its ranking by 147 points based on the metric that the three-month average for the number of pages viewed by a Bebo user is 28 pages each. Bebo therefore has the highest traffic rank in Ireland, above Yahoo, Google and Microsoft's MSN in fourth place, according to Alexa.

There have been some questions in the past as to how representative Alexa's user base is of typical internet users their activities online. However, these figures can be used to get some idea as to how popular Bebo has become in Ireland.

Bebo is the sixth most trafficked page in New Zealand, and the twelfth in the UK. According to Alexa, just over one quarter of all Bebo visitors who used Alexa's Toolbar are Irish, while slightly more than one third are British.

Bebo itself claims 31 million members globally, 1 million of whom are based in Ireland. The 2002 population figures from the Central Statistics Office reveal there are just over 927,000 people aged between 10 and 24 in Ireland. Given these statistics, it seems likely that there are a high number of non "typical" Bebo users out there.

Commenting on the Alexa rank, Bebo's communications director, Sarah Gavin, said Bebo was on an upward trajectory. "I think the reason Bebo is growing strongly as a company, is by focusing first, and foremost, on the needs of users and continually looking ahead to ways to complement and enhance the user experience."

Meanwhile judges at the recent UK Technology Innovation & Growth Awards awarded Bebo their 'Hottest Overseas Technology Prospect' above FON, Sulake and Second Life in recognition of its more than 9 million users in Britain.

In a statement issued after the event held in London's Hilton hotel, Bebo president Joanna Shields said: "I think the reason Bebo has done so well as a company, is by focusing first, and foremost, on the needs of users and continually looking ahead to ways to complement and enhance the user experience."

The words 'singing' and 'hymn sheets' comes to mind.

Shields went on to add: "We are at the forefront of a true revolution of personal expression and Bebo provides a unique platform for people to discover their passions and communicate and collaborate with other people anywhere in the world. We would like to express our thanks to our more than 31 million users worldwide who have made this award possible."