Women now represent 85 million internet users, accounting for half of all people online. But where can advertisers and marketers best reach women on the web? Their diverse interests and roles in life are reflected by the types of sites they frequent online.
Women are industrious online citizens with jobs to do, families to manage and decisions to make. They wield enormous economic power as product buyers, family planners and influencers of purchase decisions. Their online behavior illustrates their involvement in family "infrastructure" issues such as shopping, planning, healthcare and more.
- Top gaining categories among women in March 2006 versus a year ago included: Multimedia (up 34 percent to 43.7 million visitors), Classifieds (up 33 percent to 14.7 million visitors), Radio (up 24 percent to 18.4 million visitors) and Maps (up 16 percent to 32.4 million visitors).
- As primary shoppers for their households, it's not surprising that women comprise more than half the total audience at retail sites including JCPenney sites (61 percent), Federated Department Stores (60 percent), Overstock.com (56 percent) Target (56 percent) and Wal-Mart (55 percent).
- Their role as caregiver is also evidenced by the fact that more than half of all visitors to Web MD Health and the National Institutes of Health sites are female.
Top Gaining Categories Among Women by Percent Change
March 2006 vs. March 2005
Total U.S. - Home, Work and University Locations |
| |
Unique Visitors (000) |
| |
Mar-05 |
Mar-06 |
% Change |
| Total Internet All Females |
82,017 |
85,293 |
4 |
| Multimedia |
32,770 |
43,768 |
34 |
| Classifieds |
11,069 |
14,719 |
33 |
| Radio |
14,817 |
18,416 |
24 |
| Maps |
27,865 |
32,459 |
16 |
| Training and Education |
4,539 |
5,215 |
15 |
| Pharmacy |
6,881 |
7,890 |
15 |
| Home Furnishings |
16,135 |
18,478 |
15 |
| Sports/Outdoor |
8,475 |
9,644 |
14 |
| Car Rental |
2,893 |
3,244 |
12 |
| Shipping |
13,449 |
15,066 |
12 | |
| Source: comScore Media Metrix |
Top Internet Properties by % Composition of Women
March 2006
Total U.S. - Home, Work and University Locations |
| |
Unique Visitors (000) |
|
| |
Mar-06 |
% Composition |
| Total Internet |
85,293 |
50% |
| JCPenney Sites |
6,897 |
61 |
| Federated Department Stores |
5,467 |
60 |
| AmericanGreetings Property |
5,476 |
59 |
| iVillage.com: The Womens Network |
8,669 |
58 |
| ED.GOV |
4,581 |
57 |
| OVERSTOCK.COM |
6,983 |
56 |
| WebMD Health |
8,112 |
56 |
| NIH |
5,788 |
56 |
| Target Corporation |
11,857 |
56 |
| Wal-Mart |
11,945 |
55 | |
| Source: comScore Media Metrix |
About comScore Networks
comScore Networks provides unparalleled insight into consumer behavior and attitudes. This capability is based on a massive, global cross-section of more than two million consumers who have given comScore explicit permission to confidentially capture their browsing and transaction behavior, including online and offline purchasing. comScore panelists also participate in survey research that captures and integrates their attitudes and intentions. Through its patent-pending technology, comScore measures what matters across a broad spectrum of behavior and attitudes. comScore consultants apply this deep knowledge of customers and competitors to help clients design powerful marketing strategies and tactics that deliver superior ROI. comScore services are used by global leaders such as AOL, Yahoo!, Verizon, Best Buy, The Newspaper Association of America, Tribune Interactive, ESPN, Nestlé, Bank of America, Universal McCann, the United States Postal Service, GlaxoSmithKline and Orbitz. To be in touch directly, email comScore.
