A happening year draws to close, giving us enough hints as to what might happen in 2011 and who might become the next “King of the Internet Hill”. Reports from Hitwise put Facebook at the top of the most trafficked websites list, more than half of Internet users pay for content online, details about the Skype meltdown emerged, Google Adwords kicked off a fabulous promotion, Amazon released its bestseller list and Google is testing new Gmail ads.
Read on for some of this week’s best web app news and updates you might’ve missed!
Facebook Is Now the Most Trafficked Website in the World
Hitwise Traffic Data
Ok. It’s not set it stone or anything but there’s been two reports from leading online traffic analysts, Hitwise and ComScore, which put Facebook ahead of the top two websites in the world. ComScore puts Facebook at third place and Hitwise estimates say that Facebook beats Google in both traffic and search terms. Third-party traffic analysis is always way off the mark but, in my humble opinion, the results just show how 2011-2012 might be. Google has gotten to the place Microsoft was in the online world so fast, so very fast!
65% of Internet Users Have Paid for Online Content
As an aspiring web developer and a well wisher of the Internet in general, this is just the sweetest news I’ve heard this past month. While we pay for everything in the real world, for some reason, we take it for granted that all content and services online should be free. We, humans, are the creators of everything modern we know and we have bills to pay and families to feed. If anything, we should be fighting for digital & online services to cost less than their physical counterparts.
Skype Meldown – Behind the Scenes
Skype
The folks at Tumblr should be thanking Skype for taking the limelight off them to become the web app with the worst downtime of the year. The blog post is an interesting read and points the fundamental deficiency of the P2P model of Skype’s architecture. Business’ need to have an alternative for keeping communication lines open.
Google Adwords – Buy $100 Worth Ads & Get $100 Worth for Free
Google Adwords
Arguments aside, Google Adwords is a proven, cost-effective way to generate new customers for your business. People are searching for everything on Google and you can reach them at the moment they’re most interested. If you are someone who runs an Adwords campaign, there’s good news! Buy $100 worth ads and Google will match the first $100 of your investment. What are your plans Facebook?
Amazon.com Announces “Best of 2010″ Lists
Amazon Kindle
Jeff Bezos is the most underrated and under celebrated business mogul ever. How else can you explain the fact that even Kindle is flying off the shelves? Amazon has released the list of products that have topped its charts which include the bestselling, most-wished-for and favorite gift products in 2010. Take a look and you can gift the crowd favorite!
Google Tests Gmail Ads Below Messages
New Google Ads
New Google Ad placements are being tested in Gmail. This time they move from the right sidebar to just beneath the messages. It’s totally understandable that Google needs to monetize its product but the question is at what cost? With a formidable opponent in Facebook and a cool one at that (at this moment), Google is bound to get a black eye if its widely implemented.
Share Your Thoughts!
What news from the app universe grabbed your attention in the past few days? Are you considering a Skype alternative already?