Netpop Research recently released a report on social media use by consumers who have broadband Internet connections. The report indicates that the majority (76%) of broadband users are active contributors to social media.
Netpop’s research shows that 105 million Americans now participate in social media. “Attention is splintered across millions of imperceptible, personal, and unpredictable interactions. Social media is changing where consumers spend their spare time, focus their attention, form their opinions, and influence others,” says Netpop in a preview of the report.
According to Netpop, time spent online for communication has increased 18% since 2006. Time spent online for entertainment has declined 29% in the same period.
“As new ways to connect and share online gain in popularity, the definition of entertainment is changing,” says Netpop. “Social entertainment is on the rise – entertainment that involves talking and sharing, providing opinions, and comparing perspectives.”
MarketingVOX looks at some additional highlights of Netpop’s report citing specific statistics. Among them are the fact that email is the most popular mode of communication, designed for one-to-one interactions, and IMs/texting/social networking are higher among teens than the overall population.
“To stay relevant, companies need to discard age-old approaches to advertising and marketing,” says Netpop. “Mind-share is not only about a message, a medium, or even a market anymore. Social media is changing everything.”
The research firm recommends websites give more attention to user-generated content to enhance their own content, and connect directly with users. Otherwise, users will find different venues that companies will find harder to track and participate in.
