comScore Media Metrix Ranks Top-Growing Properties and Site Categories for April 2010

RESTON, Va., May 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- comScore, Inc. (Nasdaq: SCOR), a leader in measuring the digital world, today released its monthly analysis of U.S. Web activity at the top-growing properties and site categories for April 2010 based on data from the comScore Media Metrix service. Community sites such as Home and Beauty/Fashion/Style saw gains during the month as the spring season prompted new beginnings through home improvement and spring fashion trends. Photo sharing sites also experienced a boost in activity with seasonal events and activities causing shutterbugs to share their favorite pics online.

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"As the spring season began, Americans looked for information and tips as they took on new projects around the home and refreshed their wardrobes," said Jack Flanagan, executive vice president of comScore Media Metrix. "Online photo sharing was also on the minds of many Americans, reaching a record level of visitation with more than 50 percent of all U.S. Internet users visiting a photo sharing site during the month."

Movement for Home Improvement

As the new season turned the corner and the first-time homebuyers tax credit about to expire at the end of April, Americans looked to Home sites for home furnishing, decorating and gardening tips. The category grew 10 percent during the month of April to 48 million visitors. eHow Home and Garden (up 4 percent), iVillage Home and Garden (up 24 percent), and About.com Home and Garden (up 11 percent) were among the top properties in the category. The Home Depot, Inc., a Retail site in the Home Furnishings subcategory, ranked as a top gaining property during the month, growing 12 percent to 12.6 million visitors.

Beauty and Fashion Sites Serve up Spring Makeovers

Beauty/Fashion/Style sites saw an 8 percent increase in April, as 47.5 million Americans browsed spring fashion trends and beauty tips. Among the top properties were Glam Style, Stylelist Sites (up 7 percent), and Hearst Beauty & Fashion Network (up 37 percent). Allure.com was one of the category's big winners as visitation surged 214 percent to 717,000 visitors during the month.

Landmark Events Draw Out American Shutterbugs

As proms, religious holidays, and other occasions took place, Americans turned to the Web for posting photos to share with family and friends. More than half of all U.S. Internet users visited a photo sharing site during the month, representing an increase of 3 percent to 112.7 million visitors. Among the most visited sites were Facebook.com Photos (up 8 percent), Photobucket.com, LLC, and Flickr (up 4 percent). ImageShack saw a sizeable increase in April, growing 59 percent to 2.3 million visitors.

Hispanic Focus Category New to Media Metrix

April marked the introduction of the new Hispanic Focus category in Media Metrix, which measures the entire U.S. audience at sites and other ad-supporting entities oriented towards the U.S. Hispanic audience. Univision.com ranked as the top publisher site in the category with 4.6 million visitors, followed by Terra-Telefonica with 3.4 million, MSN Latino with 2.6 million, and Batanga with 2.4 million.

comScore will be excluding the Top 50 Properties and the Top 50 Ad-Focus rankings until May 2010 data is available, when the unified digital measurement transition period concludes.

About comScore Media Metrix

comScore Media Metrix provides industry-leading Internet audience measurement services that report details of online media usage, visitor demographics and online buying power for the home, work and university audiences across local U.S. markets and across the globe. comScore Media Metrix reports are used by financial analysts, advertising agencies, publishers and marketers. comScore Media Metrix syndicated ratings are based on industry-sanctioned sampling methodologies.

About comScore

comScore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR) is a global leader in measuring the digital world and preferred source of digital marketing intelligence. For more information, please visit www.comscore.com/companyinfo.

SOURCE comScore, Inc.