Web Usage Growth Flatlines in U.S., Other Mature Markets

"The low-hanging fruit in the U.S. has already been picked," said Kaizad Gotla, senior Internet analyst at Nielsen//NetRatings. "Overseas, peoples' usage patterns are less developed. So it's a good time for Internet companies to invest in these markets. Certainly, the large portals and search companies are already pretty diversified in these countries. But there is also an opportunity for smaller niche companies to create a strong brand over there, because usage patterns aren't as established as they are in the U.S."

NetRatings finds the majority of usage growth has come from increased frequency of access or user session growth in the last year. At the head of the curve, Australia, France, Hong Kong, and Italy exhibited double-digit growth in the number of monthly user sessions.

The U.S. showed zero growth in average monthly sessions, ranking next-to-last in the study's year-over-year analysis. In last place is Germany, which posted a one percent decline in sessions per month.

Diminished growth in average time spent online and monthly sessions in the U.S. don't spell an end so much as a leveling off before the next significant step forward, Gotla predicts.

"In the U.S. market, have we reached a saturation point? No. With increasing broadband connectivity, online advertising, and investments in the online channel, we are set for the next big thing," he avers.