The web is getting huge, with hundreds of new sites being added daily. Media Metrix , of course. Similar in nature to the Nielsen ratings for television, Media Metrix rates websites, or more to the point, it follows which websites users travel to most. Media Metrix determines the most popular destinations by sampling about 40,000 web denizens.
Special software keeps track of every site the user visits.
Repeat visits to the same site by the same user are ignored. Thus, Media Metrix rates websites by the number of unique visitors, something of keen interest to advertisers. Then scroll down about halfway and you will start to find some information of real value. Here you will find listed the top 10-15 sites in the areas of education, news, searching, shopping, travel, and a few others. Once finished there, you can go to Media Metrix 's 500 list for an even broader view of the top sites in each of these categories.