Foreign websites move into top 20 online properties

NEWS MSN has topped the chart of the most-visited websites in July. The site managed to tot up more than six million unique visitors - up three per cent on June's figures. Yahoo, AOL Time Warner and Wanadoo also figured highly in the ratings, compiled by Nielsen/NetRatings, the latter because of its acquisition of Freeserve. BT was the only UK online property to edge into the upper end of the rankings. It boosted its audience figures by nine per cent over the last month, and came in at number six. In contrast, the BBC dropped seven per cent, managing to attract just over two million unique visitors. The UK also has a new favourite search engine - Ask Jeeves has been ousted by Google. Significantly, the figures from Nielsen/NetRatings highlighted the growing trend for consolidation. This could help pan-European companies, such as Tiscali and Vivendi, take on the US giants. The top twenty are:
MSN
Yahoo!
Wanadoo
Microsoft
Britsh Telecom
Lycos Network
Google
Ask Geeves
BBC
Excite@home
Amazon
Universities of Great Britain
About-Primedia
Tiscali
CNET Networks
Terra Networks
Associated New Media
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