comScore launches new audience segmentation tool

comScore’s new web measurement tool will enable the segmentation of Internet users by the overall time spent online within specific categories. Called “comScore Segment Metrix H/M/L”, it will initially categorize Internet users according to whether their Internet usage is Heavy, Medium or Light.

Heavy users will be defined as the top 20 percent of consumers and will be based on time spent online within a specific category of sites, such as travel. Medium users will be defined as the middle 30 percent and Light users the remaining 50 percent.

During May, 2007, comScore found that users in the Heavy segment (34,152 users) spent an average of 96.9 hours online and visited an average of 176 websites. Medium users (53,785 users) spent around 27.5 hours online and visited an average of 79 websites and Light users (89,550 users) spent just 3.6 hours online visiting only around 14 websites.

“With comScore Segment Metrix H/M/L, marketers can define consumers behaviorally and then identify where to find them across the web—making media and promotion plans more targeted, more efficient and more effective,” said Bob Ivins, comScore executive vice president.

comScore points to an example involving the travel category. Heavy users of travel websites were found to be frequent users of postal service, entertainment planning and office supply websites. Could it be, therefore, that instead of the assumed "road warriors" or business travelers themselves who are the Heavy users, it's their administrative assistants?

Tags: comScore, Segment Metrix, web measurement