A recently completed study on internet websites in the Middle East showcases the established market leaders in this regional market, but indicates there is still much room for growth.

Findings of the study prepared by World IT Report showed that while established web destinations continue to dominate the key market segments, some niches still remain underserved.

Maktoob.com is the market leader for email, as it has been since its establishment; Albawaba.com (including its various sub-brands such as Sharekna.com, Music.albawaba.com and Menareport.com) continues to dominate the content category by a wide lead; Koora.com has the lead in sports; and Aljazeera.net is top in news broadcasting.

However, there are still several areas which lack clear market leaders, especially niches targeting specific demographics and areas of interest. This situation is mostly a result
of the hesitation among traditional print publishers in the region to enter the online market, combined with the limited and nationally-focused outlook of many of the efforts that have been made so far.

By contrast, the usage habits of Arab internet users are well advanced. Extensive use is made of the internet for communications (voice and text), socializing, and e-commerce, as well as work and information search.