The Time People Spend Communicating Online Has Increased 18 Percent

A new report from Netpop Research, provides important insights into social media trends among U.S broadband users, informing companies of the new consumer media habits shaping businesses today. Key findings include:

-- The percent of time people spend communicating online has increased 18 percent since 2006, while time spent on entertainment had declined 29 percent

-- 105 million Americans contribute to social media

-- Social networking has grown 93 percent since 2006

-- 7 million Americans are “heavy” social media contributors (6+ activities) who connect with

-- 248 people on a ‘one to many’ basis in a typical week

-- 54 percent of micro-bloggers post or “tweet” daily

-- 72 percent of micro-bloggers under age 18 post or “tweet” daily

Conclusions

-- The impact of social media is just beginning. Market trends and customer opinion are being shaped by end users more rapidly and with greater impact on business than ever before

-- Online entertainment is shifting as an entirely new form of leisure develops around talking and sharing, providing opinions and perspectives

-- A small but powerful proportion of social media contributors are fueling Web 2.0 activity through frequent use of all forms of social media – blogs micro-blogs, social media, video and photo sharing

Implications

-- Websites need to give more space to user-generated content to enhance content and connect directly with users or users will create their own venues that are harder for companies to track and participate with effectively

-- Marketing, customer service and consumer intelligence departments need to converge to understand and address the impact of social media

-- New ways of engaging consumers must be developed that enable companies to listen to and promote their brands through information sharing based on mutual respect and transparent communication

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