Websites hit the big time

New Zealand's most popular websites got a chance to bask in glory at the first annual New Zealand Hitwise online performance awards held in Auckland last night.

About 160 awards covering everything from cars to office supplies were given out at the ceremony, with the winners measured on the number of visits their websites received during 2005.

Online measurement company Hitwise measures about 500,000 websites worldwide through partnership with internet service providers, says James Borg, the company's marketing manager for Asia Pacific.

The vast range of categories, including a golf award won by www.golf.co.nz, reflects the variety of businesses using the web, Borg says.

"Most of the businesses who have an online presence want to be able to measure themselves in their own industry ... against their competitors."

Some winners did not come as a surprise.

Most popular rugby union website went to allblacks.com, auctions website went to Trade Me.co.nz and the commercial airlines website award was won by airnz.co.nz.

In lesser-known categories, nzhorses.co.nz took the pets and animals award, nzpwi.co.nz grabbed the wrestling award, acquire.co.nz won the office supplies award and findsomeone.co.nz picked up the prize for being the best gay and lesbian website.

In the news and media category nzherald.co.nz won the print award.