WebProNews

Widget Growth Driven By Social Networks

Users of widgets are more likely to receive them from friends than from companies that created them, according to a new report from JupiterResearch, "Widgets: Delivering Applications Users Want." User between the ages of 18-24 are six times more likely to receive widgets from friends than from a company.

Social Networks And Advertising

A third of online advertisers in Europe plan to create their own profiles on social networking sites in the next year.

Holiday Increase in Online Retail Predicted

JupiterResearch predicts that US online retail during the holiday season will grow to over $39 billion this year. This represents an increase of 20% over last year. About 126 million users are expected to buy online, which is a 6% increase over last year. Internet retailers plan to drive their holiday sales primarily through search marketing, even though they are noticing that costs are rising and ROI is dropping. They also plan to increase free shipping offers and promote percent-off discounts.

Online Holiday Retail Sales To Set Record

U.S. online holiday retail sales will reach $39 billion in 2007, an increase of 20 percent over last year's holiday season according to a new report from JupiterResearch, "US Online Retail Holiday Forecast, 2007."

Online Travel Purchases Increasing

The Internet has become a travel distribution channel with 70 percent of online leisure travelers booking some of their personal travel online and 52 percent purchasing all or most of their travel online according to a new report from JupiterResearch, "US Travel Consumer Survey 2007."

Vertical Search Market Ripe For Growth

The vertical search market could see significant growth by adding new features, improving content and forming partnerships with existing Web sites according to a new report from JupiterResearch, "Vertical Search: Learning Lessons from Shopping."

Social Media And Online Politics

With social networks like MySpace and YouTube taking an active role in politics, social media offers a good opportunity for presidential candidates to connect with potential volunteers and donors, according to a new report from JupiterResearch, "Politics on the Net: Reaching Audiences that Matter."

Mobile Services Popular Among European Youth

Use of mobile services is popular with young people with 47 percent of 15 to 18 year olds adopting them compared to only 17 percent of 35 to 44 year olds, according to a new report from JupiterResearch, "European Mobile Youth Consumer Survey, 2007: Targeting Digital Natives and Keeping Them Loyal."

Small Business Online Spending To Top $70 Billion

The total online spending by small businesses is expected to reach $70 billion by the year 2012, up from $47 billion in 2006, according to JupiterResearch's new report "US Online Small Business Market Category Forecast, 2007 to 2012."

Viral Marketing Not As Contagious As Thought

When it comes to viral marketing only 15 percent of advertisers reached the goal of prompting consumers to pass along their messages for them in the past year according to a new report from JupiterResearch, "Viral Marketing: Bringing the Message to the Masses."