America and China’s Internet Growth

In 2006 America’s internet population grew by about three million, the equivalent of the population of Ireland.  This seems like, in fact it is, a lot of people. 

However with an internet population of 150 million it is merely a 2% growth.  America’s internet population still has room to grow – but it will be at a slow and steady pace.

China’s internet population grew by ten times as much.  That is it grew by 20%, or more than 30 million people.  The Chinese internet population is now 137 million people.  Another example is the explosive growth of Chinese blogs, growing by 24% in 2006.

It won’t be long before more Chinese are logging on than Americans.

Chinese Internet Penetration is still low

The internet penetration of China is far lower than America.  Over half of all Americans have access to the internet.  Just over 10% of Chinese have access to the internet.

That means that the Chinese internet growth needs to keep going at its current breakneck speed for eight years before it overtakes America’s internet penetration.  It only needs two years before it gets to America’s numbers.

Chinese Internet Users are comparatively wealthy

One of the interesting facts about the Chinese online population is that it is so much more exclusive than its Western counterparts.  Because internet access is comparatively expensive in China, the online population is of the top tier of the Chinese economy.

This access will expand, fast.  But for now the Chinese population is loaded towards the luxury consumers and business users.  140 million of them, growing at 20%!

Get on the Ground Floor in China

China is already a vast internet market – the second biggest in the world.  It is also expanding at an incredible rate.  That’s the good news.

However China is not like other markets.  Firstly it is in Chinese.  This may seem obvious, but it is not simply a matter of getting a translation service – but getting a translation service that is used to placing search advertisements.

There is also the fact that Google is a niche player in China, and one that is likely to lose market share as the Chinese users become more interested in what its main rival – Baidu - offers. 

And this is another fact about China.  The main player is Baidu, a home grown search engine which offers access to free music.  It consistently beats Google, one of the few major markets where Google is constantly beaten.  It is also very focussed on China, with the only significant interface in English being for investors (it’s an American quoted company) and not advertisers.

To access the rich Chinese market you still need an intermediary.  That is why ChinaSearchAds.com was formed.  We have access to top transalators accredited with the Institute of Linguists, as well as experienced Search marketers.  Not only that we are focussed on China and the Chinese speaking communities. 

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