Time Spent on Social Networks Continues Growing While Email Remains Dominant Activity on Mobile Devices

08/02/2010

In Nielsen’s latest “What Americans Do Online” report, the study shows Americans spend nearly 25% of their time online on social networks like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. This represents a huge 43% increase from the prior year. Online games take the #2 spot for internet time spent and email holds the third most frequent online activity of Americans.

In the Nielsen blog, analyst Dave Martin remarked that despite the nature of being able to do just about anything online, sectors outside of the top three activities are fighting for a share of the declining online pie.

While major portals experienced a double digit decline, they remain the fourth highest activity. Search and video/movies were the only categories beside social networking and online games to experience positive growth.

USA Today and PC World noted it’s not just kids or young adults spending time on social networks. Nielsen also reported twice as many Americans over the age of 50 visited social networks than kids under 18.

From an aggregate perspective on how much time people spend staying connected (or hyper-connected), the Nielsen research revealed Americans spend 36 percent of their online time communicating and networking across social networks, blogs, personal email, and instant messaging.

When it comes to mobile internet or mobile devices, the numbers tell a different story. From a Nielsen survey of mobile web users, email remains king with an increase of 37.4 percent to 41.6 percent of U.S. mobile internet time. Portals continue to hold the second most frequent activity on mobile internet.

It’s important for marketers and advertisers to note the increasing online consumption across various cohorts as well as changes in consumption activity with existing and new technology such as mobile devices. These changes can enable sales opportunities in tactics like social media advertising and mobile search. It can also mean placing increased focus in areas like online video to support existing tactics in a marketing mix likesearch engine optimization.

Having a pulse on where consumers and a brand’s target audience are spending their time can help advertisers determine where to spend marketing dollars more efficiently and in a way that helps achieve a greater return on investment.