comScore, Inc.has released a study on the state of the Internet in Latin America that finds that Internet usage across the region has witnessed significant growth in the past year, with visitation increasing 23 percent to now represent 8 percent of the world’s total Internet audience. comScore will be presenting the findings of the study in a complimentary webinar, “The State of the Internet in Latin America.”
“The online landscape in Latin America is growing and shifting at an unprecedented rate,” said Alejandro Fosk, senior vice president of comScore Latin America. “With broadband accessibility increasing and costs declining, we expect Internet usage to continue to climb across the region, creating opportunities for local and global brands to reach and engage audiences in these dynamic markets.”
Internet Population Growth by Market
February 2010 vs. February 2009
Total Audience Age 15+ – Home/Work Location*
Source: comScore Media Metrix
—————————–
%
Feb-09 Feb-10 Change
—— —— ——-
Latin America 80,937 99,302 23
————- —– —– —
Brazil 28,608 34,246 20
—— —— —— —
Mexico 12,746 15,164 19
—— —— —— —
Argentina 9,907 12,653 28
——— —– —— —
Colombia 7,511 10,213 36
——– —– —— —
Chile 5,892 6,849 16
—– —– —– —
Venezuela 1,888 2,337 24
——— —– —– —
Puerto Rico 917 1,139 24
———– — —– —
*Excludes visitation from public computers
such as Internet cafes or access from
mobile phones or PDAs
Additional findings from the report include:
— The average Latin American user performed 136 searches in February,
the highest rate globally. Google Sites dominated the search landscape
capturing 88 percent of the market.
— 82 percent of regional users accessed a social networking site during
February, ranking as one of the most socially connected regions in the
world. Facebook reigned as the most popular social network in Latin
America reaching nearly 50 million users; with Chile and Colombia
displaying the strongest penetration of usage in the region. Orkut
remained the top social network in Brazil, reaching 72 percent of the
online audience.
— Twitter usage exploded in the region growing to more than 10 million
users in February from a nearly non-existent audience just last year.
— Four out of five Internet users in Latin America visited an
Entertainment site in February. YouTube led as the most-visited
Entertainment destination, while local players such as Rede Globo
experienced significant growth in delivering content.
— Instant Messenger and Email Sites continued to be a popular way for
Latin Americans to stay connected online. 71 percent of users accessed
Instant Messenger sites, while nearly 80 percent visited email
destinations, both representing some of the highest penetration rates
in the world.
— Though e-commerce is still in its infancy in this region, visitation
to Retail destinations is continuing to grow with 60 percent of the
region’s online population now frequenting these sites. Brazil
currently represents the strongest opportunity for e-commerce in the
region, making up 61 percent of regional e-commerce spending in 2009.
State of the Internet in Latin America Webinar
comScore will present full study findings in the complimentary webinar, The State of the Internet in Latin America, on Tuesday, June 15 at 11:00 a.m. CLT (-4:00 GMT). For more information and to register for the webinar, please visit: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/400156888 (Note: The webinar will be conducted in Spanish).