China Search Engine and Internet Users Behavior Report 2008

China’s Internet authority China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC) has released some interesting data based on its reports namely “2008 Chinese Search Engine Market Advertisers Research Report” and “2008 Chinese Search Engine User Behavior Study”.

China’s Internet population has reached 298 million in early 2009. The average income of Internet users is marginally higher than the national average, so the strength definitely lies in China’s massive online population.

Chinese Search Engine Usage Data

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• 64.9% of Internet advertisers use more than one search engines, and among those who use search marketing platforms, 86% used Baidu and 60.2% used Google.

Google To Provide MP3 Search Service

If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.

It appears that Google has joined the bandwagon of providing mp3 search for Chinese users which puts them in direct competition with market leader Baidu. The service will be launched before the Beijing Olympics festivities, according to CRIEnglish.com.

The report said Google China has been testing MP3 searches recently, with the expectation of providing legal copies of musical works.

Insiders mention that the quality of results may be the big distinction between Google and Baidu MP3 search capabilities. High-quality MP3 search results will be available for users. In this way, users can avoid the hassle of choosing from a large number of search results and instead pick fewer results of better quality audio files.

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China Is Now World’s Biggest Internet Market

I thought this has been settled already but after China overtook United States in terms of Internet users, it is now the world’s biggest Internet market.

According to the state-backed China Network Information Center, the nation added 43 million web users in the first six months of this year, while the number of US users rose to 230 million from 218 million last year.

The United States had 189.9 million Internet users in June, according to Internet measurement firm comScore Media Metrix, while rival firm Nielsen Online estimated that the total was 223.1 million.

It is the first time that China’s Internet population has passed U.S., at least as reported by both U.S. companies. In January, China issued a report that said it had 210 million Internet users, beating comScore’s U.S. number, but trailing Nielsen’s.

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Google Maps Hong Kong Now Even More Useful

When I was relatively new in Hong Kong, the old reliable map service I use was Centamap, an online map of Hong Kong developed by Centaline Property. It is quite useful as it has access to bus stops, schools, restaurants and consulate offices.

However, I found that the layout is cramped. But I continued to use it until Google release its Google Maps service. Both layout and features are astonishing. By the time Google added more features, such as shortest routes from one point to another without the Chinese characters embedded on the English interface like in the Centamap site, I made the switch.

Google Maps Hong Kong

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China Internet Shoppers Soar Rapidly

According to a report by The Standard, the number of mainland Chinese consumers using the Internet to shop or make bookings has increased significantly.

Commerce on the internet in China is expanding rapidly, with spending up nearly 60 percent in the first half of the year.

Chinese internet users spent 256.1 billion yuan (HK$291.9 billion) in the first six months. That was an increase of 58.2 percent from the same period in 2007, according to research institute Data Centre of China Internet.

Spending online for all of 2008 is expected to hit 587.4 billion yuan. That would be up 47.3 percent from the previous year, the Beijing-based agency said.

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