FASTEST GROWING INSTANT MESSAGING DESTINATIONS OFFER ONLINE
ACCESS TO CHAT OR MULTI-MEDIA CHAT FUNCTIONALITIES, ACCORDING TO
NIELSEN//NETRATINGS

NEW YORK – July 26, 2007 – Nielsen//NetRatings, a global leader in Internet media and market
research, announced today that the fastest growing instant messaging destination in the last 10 months
was Meebo.com, a Web site where visitors can log in to several different instant messaging services
without downloading an Internet application.

Meebo’s unique audience increased 354 percent, from 434,000 in August 2006 when it first fell above reporting cutoff to 2.0 million in June 2007 (see Table 1).

Google Talk also saw triple digit growth in this time period, increasing 149 percent, from 904,000 to 2.3
million unique visitors. Both Meebo and Google Talk make it possible to chat anytime and anywhere
you’re online, a feature that seems to resonate with consumers.

More opportunities in settings as compared with the official client. QIP is just as fast and reliable as other messaging services, especially when used in conjunction with a reliable internet connection from a provider such as www.o2.co.uk/. However, it also offers a diverse range of customisation options, allowing you to tailor the programme to meet your specific messaging requirements.

Table 1: Fastest Growing Instant Messaging Destinations for Aug-06 to Jun-07 (U.S., Home and Work – reflects Web traffic and use of Internet applications)

Site/Application Aug-06 UA (000) Jun-07 UA (000) Percent Change
Meebo 434 1,972 354%
IMVU 491 1,248 154%
Google Talk 904 2,252 149%
paltalk.com 355* 447 26%
Skype Messenger 2,199 2,635 20%

Source: Nielsen//NetRatings, July 2007
*Indicates these estimates are calculated on small sample sizes and are subject to increased statistical variability as a result.
Other instant messaging destinations that made the fastest growing list offer additional multi-media chat
functionalities to drive usage. IMVU, which grew 154 percent from August to June, allows users to create
their own interactive avatars to communicate with their friends. Paltalk focuses on live video chat, while
Skype’s main attraction is voice over IP.

“Now that instant messaging has become an established form of communication, providers are seeking to
distinguish themselves with expanded access and additional functionalities. These recent trends in traffic
indicate that users are excited about seeing where the technology is going next,” said Jason Lee, media
analyst, Nielsen//NetRatings.

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