In June 2008, Americans conducted 11.5 billion searches, for a 7 percent increase over May according to comScore.

Google sites held onto its lead in the core search market grabbing 61.5 percent of searches, a slight drop from 61.8 percent in May. Google was followed by Yahoo sites (20.9 percent, up from 20.6 percent in May), Microsoft Sites (9.2 percent, up from 8.5 percent in May), Ask Network (4.3 percent), and AOL LLC (4.1 percent).

Google sites had more than 7 billion searches, an increase of 6 percent from May, followed by Yahoo with 2.4 billion, up 9 percent and Microsoft sites with 1 billion searches, up 15 percent.

In comScore’s expanded U.S. search rankings for June, Google sites led with 9.6 billion searches, a 9 percent increase compared to May. Yahoo sites ranked second with 2.6 billion searches, an increase of 8 percent over May, trailed by Microsoft with 1.1 billion, up 14 percent and AOL with 792 million.

With the launch of the new iPhone, people are interested in more than price, as shown in the wide variety of search terms around the new iPhone.  Among the top 200 search terms for the iPhone include 3G, release date, iPhone applications, price, coverage plans and how to unlock the iPhone according to Hitwise.

For the first iPhone release, the majority of searches were for the price of the device. This year the new 3G version promotes improved Internet access. People are looking for information about the 3G network and the possible advantages. Among the top 10 search term queries for the iPhone, 3G was listed within three of the top 10 results.

Along with the release date and cost, searchers are also looking for a number of applications for the iPhone, which will increase with the launch of the App Store within iTunes.

The weekly market share of visits to the AT&T Wireless Web site is up 30 percent for the week ending July 5, 2008, compared to the week before last year’s iPhone launch. Last week’s traffic level was second only to the week of Christmas (week ending Dec.29, 2007) with last week ranking as the second highest week in traffic over the past 24 monhts for the iPhone provider.

“Apple and AT&T have succeeded in turning the ‘3G’ moniker into an almost proprietary name associated with the new iPhone - judging from the most recent search data,” said Heather Dougherty, research director, Hitwise.

“What was previously an obscure tech spec now shows up in 12 percent of top search terms associated with the iPhone, one of the most widely anticipated consumer devices

The top searched political topics for both presidential candidates in the second quarter of 2008 included, health care, global warming, education, and immigration according to Hitwise.

Top issue searches included abortion for Obama and oil prices for McCain. Abortion and immigration were the two common search term issues for both candidates. Obama political issue searches focused on gay marriage, gun control, education and immigration.

McCain political issue searches included Health care, Global warming and the Economy.

Other popular searches for Obama included information on his family, merchandise and his speeches and quotes. For McCain, searches were for information on his speeches and quotes, his age and his jokes.

“Searches show that voters on both sides of the aisle have shared concerns around issues such as health care, global warming and immigration,” said Heather Dougherty, research director, Hitwise. “This has implications for what content should be featured on the candidates’ websites, and broadly across all communications with voters.”

Hitwise looked at the top 200 U.S. search terms that sent visits to the candidate’s Web sites. The most common type of searches to Obama’s Web site was for biographical information or basic facts about the candidate. For McCain’s site the most popular search was for the candidate’s stance on major issues.

Global spending on Internet advertising will reach $65.2 billion in 2008, representing close to 10 percent of all media ad spending, according to IDC.

It projects 15-20 percent annual growth during the forecast period, with it reaching 13.6 percent by 2011 as Internet ad spending grows to $106.6 billion worldwide.

Compared to more mature types of advertising, Internet advertising is growing at a phenomenal rate,” said John Gantz, chief research officer at IDC. “But Internet advertising is still relatively new and growing from a much smaller base.

“By the end of the forecast period, spending for Internet advertising will trail direct mail - the third largest form of advertising - by more than $30 billion, while spending on TV and print ads will each be nearly twice as great as for online ads.”

Keyword ads will remain the most popular form of Internet advertising, grabbing over a third of annual online ad spending globally. Display ads will be the next largest type of Internet advertising, capturing more than 20 percent of worldwide spending annually through 2011, followed by classified ads with close to 19 percent of all online ad spending per year.

The U.S. will lead the world in both total advertising spending and online ad spending during the period with expenditures of more than $265 billion and $45 billion respectively in 2011.

“Marketers already recognize that online advertising must be incorporated into any comprehensive ad strategy. This will continue to drive growth in online ad spending well beyond the forecast period,” said Karsten Weide, program director, Digital Media and Entertainment.

One third of IT professionals have admitted to accessing highly confidential information, including salary details, merger or acquisitions plans, personal emails, board meeting minutes and other personal information, according to new survey by Cyber-Ark Software,” Trust, Security and Passwords.”

When asked if they had accessed information not relevant to their jobs 47 percent admitted they had.

The survey found that privileged passwords get changed infrequently and often less than user passwords. Thirty percent are changed every quarter and 9 percent never get changed, giving indefinite access to those who know passwords, even when they are no longer with an organization.

Half of It administrators do not have to get authorization to access privileged accounts which indicates a general lack of control and understanding over the power of such privileges.

“For most people, administrative passwords are a seemingly innocuous tool used by the IT department to update or amend systems. To those ‘in the know’ they are the keys to the kingdom and if unprotected or fall into the wrong hands wield a great deal of power,” said Mark Fullbrook, UK Director of Cyber-Ark.

“Companies need to wake up to the fact that if they don’t introduce layers of security and tighten up who has access to vital information, by managing and controlling privileged passwords, snooping, sabotage and hacking will continue.”

Social networking sites have seen rapid growth over the last few years, with more people joining every day. Currently, one out of every four people online visit social networking sites, according to the Consumer Internet Barometer, from The Conference Board and TNS.

Around half of social network users visit sites such as Facebook and MySpace on a daily basis. Out of the users who say they visit social networks on a daily basis, half say they log on several time a day.

Fifty-seven percent of those between the ages of 12 to 17 are the most likely to be daily users of social networking sites.

People are logging into social networks from a variety of places. The majority, more than three quarters log on from home, they are also logging on at work, school and public places during the day.

Women are more likely to use social networks than men. In general, women use the Internet more than men for personal communication.

The number one reason for visiting social networks is to connect with friends. In addition, about half of all users said they use sites like MySpace and Facebook to maintain their online profile, email and connect with family.

“Online social networking is an integral part of many people’s lives and a natural extension of our means of communication which the Internet has created,” said Lynn Franco, Director of The Conference Board Consumer Research Center.

“The next growth wave will be expanding and incorporating these networks into our business lives.”

AOL says it is expanding its advertising business, Platform-A in Europe as part of a strategy to broaden its global display ad business.

“By bringing Platform-A to Europe, we can offer advertisers the best marketing tools and technologies available to help them effectively and efficiently deliver their messages to online audiences across Europe,” said Randy Falco, AOL Chairman and CEO.

AOL’s publishing network in Europe includes sites in 13 countries. Platform-A in Europe will bring together AOL’s existing European advertising operations. These include Advertising.com, Adtech, buy.at, and AOL’s ad sales team.

The new organization will use contextual search by Quigo, behavioral targeting by Tacoda, and mobile ad-serving by Third Screen Media. Combined, Platform-A reaches 125 million online consumers, according to comScore Media Metrix.

Brendan Condon has been named head of Platform A’s International operations, based in London. Condon was previously head of Advertising.com’s International business.

By the end of next year, AOL says that Platform-A will be available to the rest of the world.

In the United States, AOL’s Platform-A was the leading display-advertising network in April, reaching 89 percent of the online audience or about 171 million unique visitors, according to comScore.

“No other network can offer the reach, relevance and richness of Platform-A,” said Lynda Clarizio, President of Platform-A. “Advertisers will be able to use the most advanced optimization technology and behavioral targeting, combining AOL’s premium inventory with Advertising.com’s network, including social media, affiliate marketing, search, video and mobile.”

Internet advertising in the U.S. will continue to grow fast even with the current economic conditions that will lead to a contraction in ad spending over all, according to IDC.

Internet advertising will grow about eight times as fast as other advertising. Over all Internet advertising revenue will double from $25.5 billion in 2007 to $51.1 billion in 2012.

The Internet will go from the number 5 medium to the number 2 medium in just five years, making it bigger than newspapers, cable TV, broadcast TV, and second only to direct marketing.  Video advertising will attract the most marketing dollars over the next five years. Its revenue will grow from $0.5 billion in 2007 to $3.8 billion in 2012 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 49.4 percent.

“The size of the online video audience as well as the time it spends watching video is sure to increase as broadband access penetration increases, connections become faster, and as more premium content is available,” said Karsten Weide, program director, Digital Media and Entertainment.

“What will also drive this trend is that consumers are starting to realize that, as opposed to TV, Internet video lets them watch what they want, when they want, and increasingly also where they want.”

Search advertising will remain the one advertising format that will receive the most revenue over the forecast period in the U.S. This means that for any media company search must be a key part of its strategy.

AOL had its seventh consecutive month of growth in April in both unique visitors and page views, according to comScore Media Metrix.

AOL’s sites grew unique visitors 12 percent year over year to 55.4 million; page views increased 48 ” year over year to 4.3 billion in April.

The company continues to launch and redesign many of its sites. This week, AOL launched a number of vertical sites within its network, including ParentDish, The BoomBox and TheBoot, along with the new AOL Money & Finance video site.

The significant growth in reach and engagement proves that the work we’ve done rebuilding our vertical websites and introducing new sites is paying off as evidenced by our growing online audience,” said Bill Wilson, Executive Vice President, AOL Programming.

“Our focus is on delivering consumers content based on their passion points, which creates better experiences for consumers and helps advertisers target key audiences and increase revenue potential.”

eMarketer has revised its estimates for U.S. social network ad spending, now projecting advertisers will spend $1.4 billion to place ads on social networks this year, down from its original estimate of $1.6 billion.

According to eMarketer part of the reason for the revised estimates is due to the slowing economy, specifically for those companies who will cut experimental ad dollars first.

Another factor is, “social network sites are still trying to figure out what sort of advertising works,” said Debra Aho Williamson, senior analyst, who authors the social networking reports.

“Tapping into consumers’ conversations and spreading brand awareness virally has proven more challenging than companies originally thought.”

eMarketer has revised its forecast for the two largest social networks, MySpace and Facebook. Its original prediction said MySpace would bring in $850 million in the U.S. but that estimate has been scaled back 11.2 percent to $755 million.

At Facebook, advertisers will spend $265 million, a 12.9 percent drop from the previous forecast of $305 million.