Global Search Engine Marketing & Social Media News And Analysis » Iceland

World-Wide Stats: How Does Social Media Buzz Travel?

Kristjan Mar Hauksson — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 08:28:00 +0000

Last month at the SEM Conference in Oslo, Bryan Eisenberg and I were talking about the tools of the trade and he mentioned that he had put together a site focusing on collecting internet marketing tools and it seemed that he had been doing this for some time.

The site itself is www.websitetestingtools.com and there are many good tools that you can browse through and something tells me that Bryan’s list is likely to grow fast over the coming months.

To give me head-start Bryan pointed me to several tools and one of them is a tool based on the data collected by a very popular Wordpress plugin called AddThis. The data collected by the AddThis team shows how data socializes, that is how those reading content share it.

Comparing countries like my home country Iceland and one of our closest neighbours Norway it is clear that Facebook is the biggest sharing option when users redistribute content of pages. In Iceland it is Facebook Like with some 47% and then Facebook with 25%. In Norway this flips, that is Facebook has a bigger share of 39% and Facebook Like has just over 18%.

What stands out for me is how often users print out items, Icelandic users seem to be bit “greener” when it comes to sharing content as they only use the print option in 1.88% while the Norwegians do that in close to 15%.

If you want to compare your own country to others you can to that by using the AddThis stats tool.

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RIMC Around The Corner Again

Kristjan Mar Hauksson — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 17:09:35 +0000

A short introduction video to the Reykjavik Internet Marketing Conference held in Iceland every year. Next conference will be in Iceland on the 11th of March with International speakers from Facebook, Wall Street Journal, AOL, SAP, Yandex, Hotels.com, Icelandair, Boats.com and more.

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Google Has 80% Market Share in Iceland

Kristjan Mar Hauksson — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 07:18:57 +0000

A study done by Nordic eMarketing in Iceland last October showed that Google had 79% market share with Leit.is a local player with close to 9%. Another study done this March showed that Google has reached the 80% mark and Leit has gone to over 10%. The study was done for the first book in Icelandic on Internet Marketing published in December last year.

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80% of the Icelandic nation is using Facebook

Kristjan Mar Hauksson — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 19:42:42 +0000

According to research published in new Icelandic book on Internet marketing 80% of the Icelandic nation is using Facebook. Another research done by the international research company Capacent and published in the same book it’s revealed that 72% of Internet users, fifty four or younger, in Iceland start their purchase phase by using the search engines when looking for Information on product and services.

For more information about this first book in Icelandic on Internet Marketing click here

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92% of Icelandic households with Internet access

Kristjan Mar Hauksson — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 15:08:17 +0000

In 2009, according to the eighth survey on the use of Information and Communications technology by Statistics Iceland 92 percent of Icelandic households had a computer with 90 percent of them all having access to the Internet. Nearly all of the households with Internet access, the equivalent of 97 percent, had a high-speed broadband connection. The annual survey also reported that half of the households had at least two television sets – 48 percent, of which had a flat screen.

Statistics Iceland reported that computer and Internet usage is widespread among individuals, with 93 percent between the age of 16-74 having used a computer and the Internet within the last three months. Nine out of every 10 Internet users send emails, 78 percent read online newspapers or magazines, and 65 percent listen to the radio or watch the television through the Internet. Three quarters of the users also use an online banking service, 29 percent have bought products or used services, but only 14 percent have sold products or services through the Internet.

Icenews reports

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Google expands new trademark policy – but sidesteps Europe

Andy Atkins-Krüger — Thu, 07 May 2009 22:12:38 +0000

Following the expansion of their trademark policy to the UK last year, Google has widened its looser trademark policy which basically allows all-comers to bid on trademark keywords increasing the cost of trademark advertising via the number one search engine and allowing competitors to aggressively buy each others ‘marks. The new change expands the ‘we won’t intervene’ approach to a total of 190 countries. The change comes into force on June 4th.

However, Google has sidestepped the key European countries with the strongest legal rules and where cases have cost Google most in fines (see list below). From calculations, the removal of protection for trademarked terms increases advertiser costs by as much as 80% – as well as taking revenue from additional advertisers on those terms. The policy, therefore, enables Google to increase its adverising take from advertisers. The approach also affects major global brands most significantly – because they generally spend proportionately more on advertising their brands because it is those brands – and the associated products – which have made them global.

Google has long struggled to persuade blue chip advertisers to move more of their advertising budgets to Google Adwords – this is step which leaves them with no choice. However, it is a dangerous move as it could also contribute to tipping the ROI see-saw towards other newer forms of promotion such as social media and Twitter.

Having received no significant kick-back from its UK change of a year ago – it’s no surprise that this is being rolled out now. Probably, another year will pass before more countries – especially European ones – are added. I predict that France, where the courts have levied the largest fines against Google, will be the last to go.

So the following countries (European Union countries in bold) will not see the change – at least yet. Via Search Engine Land

Austria
Belgium
Bulgaria
Czech Republic
Cyprus
Denmark
Finland
France
Greece
Germany
Hungary
Italy
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Netherlands
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden

Australia
Bahamas
Brazil
China
Iceland
Macau
New Zealand
Norway
South Korea
Switzerland
Taiwan

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96% of Reykjavik has fast internet connection

Kristjan Mar Hauksson — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 14:31:19 +0000

According to a survey done by Statistics Iceland for the year 2008, Reykjavik has nearly 100% penetration of fast connection that is (ADSL or other types of xDSL connections), this changes very little when comes to region outside, goes down to 90%. So of a population of 319.326 some 305.000 have good access to the internet.

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The Reykjavik Internet Marketing Conference in March

Kristjan Mar Hauksson — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 12:37:22 +0000

The annual Reykjavik Internet Marketing Conference and Expo (RIMC) will be taking place on Friday 20th March in Reykjavik, Iceland this year. The conference focuses on Online communications and Internet marketing in a International Environment.

Speakers include Sion Portman, European Marketing Manager – Nike, Adam Lasnik, Search Evangelist – Google, Rand Fiskin, CEO – SEOmoz, Ben Chapman, Marketing/Development – BBC, Mark Killingley, European Marketing Manager – NFL, Eugene Lomize, Anne Kennedy, Managing Partner – Beyond Ink, Head of Advertising Technologies Dep. – Yandex and Shari Thurow – Omni Marketing.

For more info go to www.rimc.is

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This must be a world record for Facebook users

Kristjan Mar Hauksson — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 17:26:40 +0000

According to Elvar Arason researcher and a senior consultat at ABSmedia Iceland nearly all Icelanders aged 20 to 29 are registered on Facebook. This social media website is a huge success in the country to say the least.

Nearly half of the nation is registered or just under 120.000 people and nearly everybody in the age group 20 to 29 has a profile.

Woman are dominant with around 60% of the registrations or just over 69.000.

Age, Icelanders, No on Facebook, % using FB
13-19 32.909 27.500 83,6%
20-29 46.391 44.460 95,8%
30-39 44.204 28.080 63,5%
40-49 45.190 13.820 30,6%
50-59 37.921 5.020 13,2%
60+ 50.278 1.560 3,1%
Total 256.893 120.440 46,9%

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Over 90% of the Icelandic nation uses the Internet

Kristjan Mar Hauksson — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 13:42:46 +0000

Statistics Iceland has published the results of its seventh survey on the use of ICT and the Internet by Icelandic households and individuals. The survey was conducted earlier this year and shows how the vast majority of Icelandic households have one or more computers and access to the Internet. In 2008, 92% of the households had a computer and 88% of the households had access to the Internet.

xDSL Internet connection are the most common type of Internet connections, whereas 94% of the Internet-connected households used an xDSL connection. That year only 5% of the Internet-connected households used a dial-up telephone connection or an ISDN connection.

According to Statistics Iceland the use of computers and the Internet is very widespread among individuals in Iceland. In 2008, 92% of the population aged 16–74 years used a computer and 91% had used the Internet in a period of three months prior to the survey. As in previous years the Internet is mainly used for information search and communication. In 2008, 36% of internet users aged 16–74 years had ordered goods or services over the Internet during a period of three months prior to the survey. As in previous years, the most popular goods and services purchased over the Internet are related to travel and accommodation.

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Inflected languages and Google

Kristjan Mar Hauksson — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 10:21:53 +0000

Google starting to deal in a proper way with inflected languages such as Icelandic by stripping away the grammar. Icelandic users have had to put up with the search engine’s illiteracy by entering their searches in various cases, numbers, genders, tenses and then do it all over again with the definite article and so on. The only thing I can say now is Google welcome to the wonderful world of inflected languages. I will be following up on this shortly with a more indept article, so look out.

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Google misses out on translations

Kristjan Mar Hauksson — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 09:04:03 +0000

The world’s largest search engine misses out on localization, how? Spelling error, I’m I feeling lucky button was changed to “Freysta gæfunnar”, the problem is that there is no y in freysta so the search engine that has 50% of the Icelandic population searching is greeting the Icelandic nation with a spelling error! Pls. Google fix this it is hurting my feelings!

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Internet marketing and advertising conference in Iceland

Kristjan Mar Hauksson — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 22:34:11 +0000

The annual Reykjavik Internet Marketing Conference and Expo (RIMC) will be taking place on Friday 8th February at the Hilton Nordica in Reykjavik, Iceland. The conference focuses on Internet marketing and advertising, and the possibilities created by employing a structured promotional approach and focused advertising campaigns.

Speakers include international and Icelandic experts in media and marketing. The conference is ideal for anyone who works in, or is interested in, business on the Internet. The conference will appeal to marketing and advertising people, web editors, sales- and marketing managers as well as directors of small and large businesses.

Among speakers are people that either work for or have worked with such companies as Aftonbladed, MBL, Sky, BBCa and Wenger Group to mention few.

For more info go to www.rimc.is

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Microsoft wants to buy Norwegian Fast for 6,6 billion NOK!

Sara Andersson — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 21:38:42 +0000

Microsoft have placed a bidding for the Norwegian search company Fast. The amount is 6,6 billion NOK which is about 835 000 000 Euro!
Their plan is to integrate Fast technology into Sharepoint server: They want to keep the research team and says it should be a great effort for Microsoft in Europe.

The biggest competitors to Fast Search on search solutions for large cooperations is Googles Search Appliance, French Exalead as well as Autonomy.

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24 European states go borderless under Schengen

Andy Atkins-Krüger — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 14:54:49 +0000

The Schengen agreement has been extended from 15 countries to 24 giving a wider borderless Europe with no internal border controls or checks and an open market of over 400 million people. Coming into force on the 21st December, the Schengen agreement makes physical inter-trade between bordering countries easier to manage for marketers. As Europe opens its borders, and search grows quickly in Europe, Schengen makes European business roll-outs more attractive and achievable with faster distribution and lower border costs.

The new countries joining the agreement are:-

Czech Republic
Slovakia
Poland
Hungary
Latvia
Lithuania
Estonia
Malta
Slovenia

I decided to test this with a visit to the most northerly Balkan state of Slovenia travelling from Austria through a 5 mile tunnel to the south side of the Alps. True enough the European blue flag and stars had become the standard border crossing notification and the rows of kiosks and border controls were empty and unmanned as we headed to the capital Ljublana.

Ljubljana is a town of around 230,000 people with a pretty baroque style and attractive old quarter. The local search engine is “Najdi” and the local domain is .si.

The Schengen agreement was first signed by five countries in 1985 in a small Luxembourg town ‘Schengen’ – these original five were later joined by ten others and the agreement came into force in 1995. The agreement basically means that the internal borders between the treaty countries are removed – but that those same countries cooperate to strengthen the outer border using the Schengen Information System – a database where data is exchanged. There are also special rules on how police forces work together.

The original five countries were:-

France
Germany
Netherlands
Belgium
Luxembourg

Other countries which joined up to 1995 when Schengen was finally realised are:-

Spain
Portugal
Greece

Countries who joined after 1995 but before 1997 are:-

Italy
Austria
Denmark
Norway
Sweden
Finland
Iceland
Monaco

The Schengen Agreement has only ever, in part, been deployed by the British or the Irish for fear of it encouraging immigration and terrorism – though it doesn’t seem to have helped much staying out.

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bott.is domain number 20,000 in Iceland

Kristjan Mar Hauksson — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 18:59:46 +0000

On the 29th of November this year active domain number 20,000 became real in Iceland. The twist to this is that the 29th of November 2007 is very close to the 20 year birthday of the Internet in Iceland. The year was 1987, late fall, when the father of the Internet in Iceland, Maríus Ólafsson, transfered the first package between two computers located in Iceland through a telephone line. This later became known as the Internet.

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iGoogle in 13 new languages

Georgi Georgiev — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 15:03:36 +0000

13 may be a fatal number, but obviously not at Google. Announcment on the Official Google Blog says that iGoogle has been localized for 13 new languages. Users speaking

- Arabic
- Bulgarian
- Catalian
- Croatian
- Icelandic
- Indonesian
- Latvian
- Lithuanian
- Malay
- Serbian
- Slovak
- Slovenian
and Tagalog can now use the personalized version of Google in their own language. With a total of 42 language versions iGoogle is accesible by 99% of Internet users in their native language.

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EURid suspends 10,000 .EU names squatted in China

Andy Atkins-Krüger — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 09:14:09 +0000

The .EU domain registrar management organisation, EURid has suspended 10,000 EU domain names which have been apparently legally registered by a Chinese woman – reports out-law. EURid has the power to remove the domain names from the woman – but has said that it would prefer a court to do it.

According to reports, the woman was buying the names to sell on to other parties at higher prices – nothing new in that then. EURid says that is has received complaints – not particularly new either. One key point is that only European-based organisations are allowed to hold .EU domain names.

Out-law carries this great quote from EURid, “When we screen our data bank we see that some people have an amazing amount of names. Nobody needs 10,000 names.” Strange. You’d have thought that EURid had a little more knowledge and insight about the industry in which they operate. Perhaps that’s why there were so many complaints at launch!

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What is happening to ASK in Europe? I must ask!

Kristjan Mar Hauksson — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 07:17:37 +0000

Recent studies have shown that in Germany Google leads with a market share of 88.5% (I though Google had a foothold in the UK with around 79%). Yahoo has just over 3%, followed by the only local engine, ISP T-Online with 2.2%. Others on the list with just under 1.5% are MSN and AOL.

Most surprisingly is however France that seams to have embraced this American invention, Google has just under 90% market share with Yahoo coming next with just over 3%, MSN has 2.48% with two locals following Orange and Free, 1.89% and 0.72%.

Noticeable is the total lack of ASK’s market share both in France and Germany. Also it’s worth noting that while Google has a large market share in the US it’s nothing when you compare their foothold in France, Germany and the UK.

But Google is not this strong everywhere in Europe. Neighbours to Germany are Swiss and there Google has just under 50% of the market with Yahoo’s healthy 22% following and MSN has around 11%. Russia has the strong Yandex Direct as shown here at Multilingual search on a regular basis.

If we look at Poland there worth noting that there are at least couple of strong locals, NetSprint, OnetSzukaj and Szukacz with combined market share of 20%. In Poland Google seems to have around 80%.

Google has a strong market share also in Slovakia but has a strong competition in SZN.sk.

Since the arrival of Google in Iceland in 2002, they have slowly gained around 50% of the market share with the local Leit staying strong at around 45% and the rest shares the remaining 5%. This is a according to research by Nordic eMarketing in early 2007.

It’s always good to know the search engine market shares in Europe ?

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Conferences in Sweden this Autumn

Sara Andersson — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 08:33:32 +0000

There will be a lot of activity around web and search in Sweden this autumn.
Below I list all the conferences that are coming up and hope to see you on some of them!
I will update list if I find out of more as we move along…

September
Webanalytics wednesday Stockholm 11-Sep

http://www.webanalyticsdemystified.com/wednesday/

Webbdagarna Malmö 12-Sep
Webbdagarna Göteborg 26-Sep

http://www.webbdagarna.se

Svedma Stockholm 27-Sep

http://www.swedma.se

October

Webbdagarna Stockholm 24/25th Oct

http://www.webbdagarna.se

Emetrics Stockholm 29th/30th Oct

http://www.emetrics.org/2007/stockholm/

SMX Stockholm 31st Oct/1st Nov

http://searchmarketingexpo.com/smx_stockholm07/

November

SIME Stockholm 14th/15th Nov

http://www.sime.nu/media/

IMC Stockholm 29th/30th Nov

http://www.internetmarketingconference.com/stockholm2007/

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