MSN Claimed as Most Popular Web Destination

Based on Microsoft’s internal statistics, MSN properties are the number one worldwide Internet destination for consumers. Despite controversy regarding the figures, it is clear that Microsoft has become a serious competitor to AOL and Yahoo in the competition for “eyeballs” and the subscription, advertising, and transaction revenues these Web site visits generate.

During June 2000, according to Microsoft, 201 million unique users visited MSN, which includes MSN.com, Hotmail, Expedia, CarPoint, MoneyCentral, MSNBC, and other sites. (Visits to microsoft.com were not counted in the figures.) MSN advertising revenue rose 150% during the fiscal year ended June 30. The company attributes its success to a series of incremental improvements in search technology, shopping and other areas. Microsoft’s continued success promoting Internet Explorer (IE) is also a major contributing factor, because msn.com is the default web page for IE. IE’s market share has grown from 64% in Feb. 1999 to 86% in June 2000, according to websidestory.com, a provider of Web audience analysis.