“People are using the Buddy sites to make decisions about which personal loan to apply for, broadband provider to use, who to take out a life insurance policy with, and even which super fund to put their savings into,” said Yield Media Content Manager, Elayn James.

There are approximately 12 million Australians online every month and recent research* from Yahoo! and comScore Inc found that people “…exposed to online advertising tend to research or ‘pre-shop’ online prior to purchase”. The July 2007 report’s findings stated that “this behavior ultimately leads to increased in-store sales”. How much more? The study says online “pre-shoppers” spend about 40 percent more than people who have not been exposed to web advertising.

What that means is that there is an undeniable trend for people to research their major purchases online before they buy.

“Analysis of the tracking data for the Buddy sites shows visitors are in the active process of decision-making. They come to us to help them make up their minds,” said Ms James.

It is clear from the amount of traffic to Money Buddy since launch that Australians are looking online for reliable and independent sources of information when they are making major long-term purchasing decisions.

“People are using the web to find easy-to-understand, specialist information and comparisons. The Buddy network provides the independent voice they are seeking,” she said. “We’re filling a hole for Australian consumers.”

Money Buddy provides factual information and tips for consumers about personal finance topics. It also offers a unique “Product Finder” comparison tool to allow people to compare finance products. The tool can be used for home loans, credit cards, personal loans, car loans and bank account comparisons.

“If we can help people make informed decisions about the best products to suit their needs then we will have done our job,” she said.

And it appears the websites’ users are appreciating the sites’ features. After a “soft launch” in November 2006, Money Buddy has grown its audience almost ten-fold. Yield Media’s three new sites – BroadbandBuddy.com.au, InvestorBuddy.com.au and InsuranceBuddy.com.au – are currently in a “soft launch” phase and are expected to grow their audiences in line with Money Buddy.

By January 2008 Yield Media expects the Buddy network to deliver more than 120,000 unique visitors a month. Traffic to Money Buddy can be roughly categorized as 32 percent credit card seekers, 17 percent home loan seekers, and 51 percent car and personal loan seekers.

The Money Buddy articles are very popular and rank well in natural search. The new sites – Broadband, Investor and Insurance – are also content rich although the styling of the sites has now evolved.

New sites’ features:

• Product finder and comparison tool (Stage Two launch – stay tuned!)
• Find an expert directories – local directory of mortgage brokers, personal finance planners etc
• Plain English, jargon-free articles and links to related sites for additional information
• User-modified ratings on articles and products (one to five scale)
• Individualized sections eg ADSL or cable internet; home or travel insurance; managed funds or shares.
• Coming soon: expert directories featuring insurance brokers, investment brokers, online quotation requests.