Study: Social networks eat up most time of web usage

It is a question many marketers ask themselves on a daily basis: “Where do users browse when they are on the Internet?” A recent study by Experian is spot on here. It reveals that people spend most time browsing social media platforms. Entertainment websites (9%) and shopping (5%) as well as business and checking emails are following with each one achieving 3% are coming in the following places.

The research was checking peoples’ browsing habits in the United Kingdom, United States and Australia. By distilling the overall Internet browsing time from 2012 into one single hour, the study found out that respondents spend 27% of every hour on social networkings. The U.S. was the leading country with 16 minutes per hour, followed by Australia 14 minutes and United Kingdom with 13 minutes. However, the time spend with social sites is overall a bit decreasing compared to 2012.

However, the figures vary depending on what device respondents were using. When respondents were on mobiles, they tend to spend the most time working on email. Again, the U.S. spent about 23% of every hour being busy on email on mobile devices in the first quarter or 2013, then closely followed by browsing social-networking, entertainment, shopping, and travel sites. Still, when using a personal desktop, people will most likely spend over a quarter of their time browsing social sites,

“With smartphones and tablets becoming more powerful, our data clearly indicates the difference between mobile and traditional desktop usage further enabling the ‘always on’ consumer mentality. Marketers need to understand these differences, as well as regionally, to ensure campaigns can be tailored for better and more effective engagement.” Bill Tancer, General Manager Global Research, Experian

Spot On!
The desktop finds it’s end as we all know, and social media is the driver. Mobile emails get read more than emails seen from desktop, states some new benchmark report data from Informz. For this study in 2012, the company analyzed 1 billion emails from 800 associations. In fact, the study made clear that more links, shorter headlines, focussed lists and flexible send-outs are key to drive awareness to the email newsletters. If we bring these two studies together, we will understand the close connection between mobile and social.

Serious Business: Facebook on mobile (Infographic)

Many companies and brands still don’t understand the importance of Facebook and how it gets driven via mobiles. However, some numbers put together by the guys at Qwaya indicate how serious decision makers should take the Facebook mobile business. The engagement of the web world turns towards mobiles, whether smartphones or tablets, and it is time to understand that Facebook cannot be taken out here. It might affect your business and the way people engage with your brand as well. Just open your eyes…!

Study: “Online Privacy is Dead”, do Millennials really not care…?

The main concern with new inventions on the web is alway privacy for most users. However, a new study finds that Millenials are less concerned about their privacy as elder people might be. The survey conducted by the USC Annenberg Center for the Digital Future and Bovitz Inc. states that 70% of Millenilas (18-34) agreed with the statement, “No one should ever be allowed to have access to my personal data or web behavior”, compared with 77% of users 35 and older.

“Online privacy is dead — Millennials understand that, while older users have not adapted. Millennials recognize that giving up some of their privacy online can provide benefits to them. This demonstrates a major shift in online behavior — there’s no going back.” Jeffrey I. Cole, Director USC Annenberg Center for the Digital Future.

The question is whether, the discrepancy of 7% between the two figures shows some significant change in the adoption of online privacy. Getting the data from the Millenials is not much of a challenge. 51% of Millennials are open to exchange their contact details for a coupon or deal, and even more 56% would share their location for a coupon for a local business. Even in targeted adverting, 25% of Millenials evaluate trading personal information for more relevant ads.

“Millennials think differently when it comes to online privacy. It’s not that they don’t care about it — rather they perceive social media as an exchange or an economy of ideas, where sharing involves participating in smart ways. Millennials say, ‘I’ll give up some personal information if I get something in return.  For older users, sharing is a function of trust — ‘the more I trust, the more I am willing to share.’” Elaine B. Coleman, Managing Director of Media and Emerging Technologies, Bovitz.

For me the study shows that there is some kind of change happening in terms of data privacy. The question is how concerned are people really about their data privacy? Is it just the Millenials that don’t care too much? Or are they not mature enough to understand the potential of data fraud?

How the Edgerank drives your Facebook marketing (Infographic)

Many people might have heard about the EdgeRank that drives the Facebook algorithm. It is the basis for the relevance of accounts and status updates, and yes obviously the users. However, how does it work is still an unchallenged question…

The aim of the Facebook Edgerank is to detect the updates people are most likely to engage with. One of the reasons why we sometimes don’t see our friends but those who are sharing updates that other people might like a bit more than others.

Some social experts suggest different types of posts that generate most traffic and engagement. Some believe in video, some in photo, and again others think that pure text is driving the algorythm most. Or is it the color that drives the customer? So, what is right? The answer is, only some people inside Facebook probably know that. It appears to be one of the well-protected next “Coca-Cola-like” secrets…

In the end, the only answer that we see is the quality of posts. They might be short or long, with or without audio-video content, and also might have a picture, or not. Not the type of post makes the difference. It’s the understanding of your audience, and there social media monitoring is the key to all social business strategy as these will lead to your success.

PostRocket just recently published a detailed infographic on the Edgerank topic. It is nicely explaining how this algorithm drives your Facebook marketing.

By age 2, 90% of kids have used computers

The Rasmussen College recently published an infographic explaining the tech development stages for kids. It highlights the main milestones in the development of media use of kids. he infographic and figures are based on studies from Common Sense Media, Ipsos and different other sources. The stats are eye-opening in a way that 90% of kids have been in touch with a computer by age 2. Even more by the age of 5 years, half of children use computers or tablet devices on a daily basis. It is astonishing how young kids are when they get into the tech world, and it seems that the tech touchpoint age is getting younger and younger.

Thinking about my boys, it might be even younger with smartphones and tablets…

Hyperconnected lives? Pros and Cons for the younger generations

Have you ever thought about our hyperconnected lives? Technology experts, when asked about the positive and negative influences of hyperconnectivity on the younger generation, find different arguments for the pros and cons. Those various arguments are highlighted in a new infographic by Internet Provider and you are invited to discuss it.

Interested to getting your views on it…

Please include attribution to InternetProvider.org with this graphic.

Study: Content Marketing – a challenge? B2B hiding behind false excuses…?

We had written about a Curata content marketing survey some months ago. Now, I came across another research which is making it’s way through the web, and I am glad as I have been asked at a University St. Gallen event for some new insights on the topic today.

The Content Marketing Institute’s 2013 benchmarks shows what the challenges for marketers are: producing enough content (64%), producing the kind of content that engages an audience (52%), or producing a variety of content (45%).

Sounds like we have heard that before, right…?

If you think lack of budget is still the issue, you might find yourself being in the wrong corner. Just 39% of the respondents said that they lack budget. Furthermore, traditional restrictions and limits like buy-in/vision (22%) or finding trained content marketers (14%) is falling out; not even senior level buy-in is their biggest challenge (7%).

All lies? Well, seems like that… And when just 14% say, they are having problems hiring in this field, i would suggest some clever journalists or PR managers have found a way to market themselves.

So, a questions arises that also came up today in my moderation: What is the real issue, why marketers don’t challenge the content marketing business?

We have probably all heard what Outbrain told us today in their speech that push is the new pull, advertising becomes marketing, creation the modern editorial, campaigns are the always-on of tomorrow which makes sprints the new marathons. Still, the question is whether marketers understand why this should become the new budget engine for a change in an emerging shift towards content marketing and away from advertising?! Maybe marketers need to understand what makes them a media-house? Content curation, distribution and measurement might be more of a big bang theory to address…

Spot On!
The challenge might actually arise in the definition where content marketing gets propelled. Many marketers see still search engine advertising (SEA) their wholly grail. If companies get turned around into SEO engines, the whole result-driven aspect of the fluid content marketing world would not be questioned any longer. It just depends on getting the right people engaged inside the office and to find the commitment that lets the formerly outsourced world stand in the shade. And have companies ever understood the value of content? Content is not a test budget! It is an attitude towards business, towards communication, towards social business. Or have you ever put into question why you send out newsletters, flyers, whitepapers, or even company brochures? Blogs, status updates, tweets… written in an intelligent way, is increasing the way your conversations will arise…

Are you really hiding in the content marketing fields, marketers – or is it a real challenge…?

Study: TV users are multitasking

Consumers are multitasking and using other electronic devices like phones or tablets when watching television. This is the conclusion of a recent third annual Video Over Internet survey of 3,501 consumers in Brazil, France, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States. It states that the majority watched video content over the Internet. Obviously the tablet is showing the biggest increase in multitasking use.

“Consumers can’t just watch TV anymore. The rise in multitasking while watching TV suggests that scheduled programming, also known as Linear TV, may be losing its appeal for sophisticated users, presenting both challenges and opportunities for broadcasters and content providers”. Francesco Venturini, Accenture’s Media & Entertainment industry group.

The key findings in a brief overview: 77% regularly use their computer while watching television (16% increase to 2012). Just 17% of people using tablets while watching TV said their activity was unrelated to the TV content they were viewing. The use of tablets is different though as it correlated more closely with what respondents were watching compared to laptops or smartphones.

The study indicates that TVs connected directly to the Internet might still remain the ideal method for buying and watching online video on a TV. However, the use of connected TV is on a decrease in the last year (36% to 31%). The study shows that consumers are still not sure about the available options for accessing online video. Just 16% indicated a preference for an online connection through a set-top box, whereas 30% responded to watch daily online content the other way.

The use of tablets during television viewing is said to have the biggest increase in the past year (from 11% to 44%). The use of local online video service providers is increasing from 37% to 40% iwth almost the similar amount of a decrease in use by global providers like Netflix and YouTube.
Still, the majority of respondents identified traditional TV broadcasters as the providers they trusted most to present video over the Internet on their TV screen.

Omnichannel Loyalty, and what it can do for companies…

What is Omnichannel Loyalty (OCL), you might ask yourself? Well, according to a Kobie Marketing infographic it is “an enterprise-level initiative to drive, track, measure, and reward incremental behavior throughout the enterprise and customer experience”.

The OCL approach defines how companies and brands engage customers with personalized messages at different touchpoints and various channels. It offers rewards for customers’ loyalty with the hope for lifelong brand loyalty. However, the challenge is, not to ignore the big data basics that are needed to drive an OCL business. The infographic shows that just 10% of real-time data is effectively used which states missed opportunities.

The infographic also makes clear that companies need to offer customers the appropriaste content in the right context with the right data approach in order to best engage the social customer who is “always addressable”.

Gen Z: How these users will find trust in your brand

It is one of those generations marketers always try to understand and get their heads around as these young people will significantly define the future of brands: Gen-Z (18-23 years) is changing the way marketers have to do their communication around brands and companies. They are closer to and trust more Social Media and mobile than other generations, but they also still like email. At least if we believe in the results of one of the latest Forrester report.

The report author Tracey Stokes stated in blog post last month “Gen-Zers are open to a relationship with brands, as long as those brands are authentic and live up to their high expectations and consistently deliver what they need”.

For the Gen-Z target-group the world means anyone, anytime, anywhere, anyhow. The digital communication world sets no limits for them. Unsurprisingly, according to the Forrester report, this generation will consume more media online than offline. However, there is also a massive challenge for the world to come as distraction is a massive issue in the world of Gen-Z’ers.

The study makes clear that 84% multitask, using an Internet-connected device while watching TV. On average, this target-group is working with 1.5 other Internet-connected devices (e.g., laptops and cell phones) during their TV sessions. While some earlier study from Nielsen tells us that ads and promotions are not so much trusted these days, the Forrester study claims that the Gen-Z target-Group trusts online content -also ads and promos- more than other generations. 

Blogging also adds to the credibility of companies and brands in the Gen-Z generation. The research states tat 22% of the surveyed Gen-Z consumers state they trust somewhat or completely posts by companies or brands on social networking sites. Compared to other generations, this is almost 49% higher. Also, the Gen-Z target-group is 48% more likely than other generations to trust somewhat or completely the content on mobile applications from brands. Even text messages from brands are trusted still. Still, search remains one of the biggest forms to get access to content.

Spot On!
The Gen-Z target-group is facing many forms of communication, promotions but also a massive variety of brand messages. This makes buying decisions more difficult for them but also turns them into a demanding form of consumers. Getting into conversations becomes the main business approach for companies and brands. The old penetration and persuation way of communication won’t work with the Gen-Z tagret-group. The more brands participate in the brand conversations, the more the target-group will open up to receive the brand messages. However, the fluid transition between online and offline communication is essential in brand communication. Marketers should better prepare their business to deliver a seamless brand experience.

What experiences did you make so far with Gen-Z…?

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