Sunday, June 22nd, 2008
About four months ago I posted the Top 100 Websites in Singapore as reported by Alexa. Just earlier in the week at work I happened to check out the site again, and interestingly Google.com.sg has now taken over with Yahoo.com in second place. Main Google is at #7, localised yahoo.com.sg nowhere to be seen.
Two observations and a question:
1) Since Google has two spots in the top 10 list, they’re obviously beating the crap out of Yahoo, which should make Google very happy indeed and companies should know where to advertise now.
2) Localised Google (ie the .sg version) is right at the top, suggesting the increased preference for localised search.
Which brings me to the first question: Why isn’t Rednano on the list at all? I’m almost definitely sure that it provides better search results than Google when it comes to localised search, but somehow it doesn’t seem to be used. Anyone want to shed some light?
And the second: What changed in two months?
Tags: alexa data, Google, google.com.sg, paid search, rednano, Search, top 100 websites in singapore, yahoo, yahoo and google
Posted in Google, Search, Singapore | 12 Comments »
Tuesday, February 19th, 2008
Geek SG has an article referencing the Top 100 sites in Singapore, and the list is pretty interesting.
Yahoo comes in at #1 with Google at #8 (any relation to poor people using yahoo vs rich people using Google?)
Friendster at #2 while Facebook is at #8, Myspace is at #32 - My theory (based on personal observations) is that largely, Singaporeans are still early to late majority. I joined up with Friendster in 2003, Myspace shortly after that, and Facebook in 2006 (yes, when there was no one on it). I observed the exact same trends in the 2 years I was on Facebook as I did Friendster: At first, they’re just the people who’re trying out new things and a pretty normal. After awhile as network externalities kick in, more and more people start joining, including those who don’t use English as a first language. (not discriminating, just stating facts). Locally we might classify them as bengs and lians - I don’t even know how to classify that for the non-Singaporeans reading this blog. And now Friendster is almost completely run by them, while the early adopters have moved to Facebook, but the rest are slowly catching up.
This also accounts for Myspace being at #32. The rest of Singapore simply missed out on the trend - MySpace came and went in the time early adopters moved from Friendster to Myspace to Facebook, so the rest of the majority just makes the transition from Friendster to Facebook.
YouPorn comes in at #25, Sammyboy at #31 and Megaerotic at #35 (what do you think of that, government?)
Mininova and Rapidshare are in at #38 and #39 respectively (now we know where all that bandwidth is going) and beat this, NUS is at #22, NTU is at #40 and SMU is nowhere to be seen.
Quite a few sites I don’t recognise so I won’t comment, but I’d encourage you to check out the link and comment here on what surprised you, what didn’t surprise you, and any explanations if you have them.
All I can say is I’m glad Xiaxue isn’t on the list. That would be a kicker.
Tags: bengs and lians, early adopters, early majority, friendster and facebook, geek sg, late majority, myspace, network externalities, poor yahoo rich google, top 100 webpages in singapore, yahoo and google
Posted in SMU, Singapore | 5 Comments »
