AME Info 'first' in the Middle East to get e-audit

Business portal AME Info has undergone an audit in what is believed to be a first for a website in the Middle East. Results of the e-audit, which was carried out by the Audit Bureau of Circulation Electronic, are expected within the next two weeks.

“We have taken the step of becoming the first online media in the Middle East to be audited,” said Lars B. Nielsen, vice president of sales and marketing, AME Info. “We want to be able to go out to media buyers and say that this is an online media website that has an audited.”

Auditors from ABC Electronic have scrutinised the company’s records for a month, as well as examining traffic on the site during selected days to ascertain how many people are using it.

Nielsen said they expected the figures to show a drop on its current statistics, because visitors through search engines such as Google are “stripped” out of the audited figure.

“There is a call for more auditing, it is something that is needed and has been needed for a long time. I would welcome more online media to get audited because it will enable people to compare like with like,” said Nielsen.

Methods for monitoring and recording website usage can vary significantly between online companies, which has often led to confusion and misunderstanding in the market.

It is hoped that greater auditing will create a level playing field and provide greater clarity to advertisers.

According to figures from AME Info, they currently have 60,529 registered users and it had 8,419,098 page views last month.

AME Info has recently revamped its Arabic content in a bid to attract new users. Six new daily newswires have been added to provide Arabic speakers with a wider range of content.