Brazil Beats a Path Online

The surdo is the huge bass drum that creates the driving beat of the samba, and that pounding rhythm can be heard throughout the Brazilian Internet today.

After lagging for a number of years, Brazil is finally dancing online.

Although home connectivity still remains too costly for the majority of Brazilians, the country already leads Latin America in the number of Internet users, ahead of both Argentina and Mexico.

Like most of the world, many Brazilians have become accustomed to going online as part of everyday life, with Internet usage increasing steadily from about 9% of the total population (17.5 million) in 2005 to an expected 22% of population (43.7 million) in 2011.

According to the new eMarketer Brazil Online report, although less than 15% of Brazil’s population currently uses the Internet either in their homes, at work or in online cafés and public access kiosks, by 2011 nearly a quarter of Brazil’s population will be online.

A survey of Brazilian adults conducted late last year by Ipsos Public Affairs for Núcleo de Informação e Coordenação do Ponto Br (NIC.BR) found that 40% of them used the Internet from home, while 30% accessed the Internet from a public paid access location, such as an Internet café. Smaller percentages went online at work or school.

However, Brazil now has the third-largest number of broadband lines in the Americas, behind only the US and Canada.

Research published by Point Topic shows nearly six million total broadband lines in use in Brazil.

In addition, Brazil has established a sturdy foothold in e-commerce, including both online purchasing and online advertising.

ZenithOptimedia ranks Brazil as the seventh-largest online advertising market in the world.

Fonte: eMarketer