It looks like Skype may have already gotten an immediate benefit from its proposed $8.5 billion acquisition by Microsoft: higher traffic. The site's U.S. audience jumped 24% to 11.6 million between
April and May, according to new monthly data from comScore. Whether Skype will be able to maintain or increase that level will not be clear for several months. But with Microsoft using its Web and
software properties to cross-promote the Internet calling service, it stands to reason that Skype should see a traffic gain. The Microsoft-Skype deal last week won the approval of the FTC, but still
needs the endorsement of the U.S. Department of Justice. LivingSocial, Tumblr, video search site Blinkx, and Best Buy sites were among other top-gaining Web properties in May.
--Mark Walsh
