New study reveals 75 percent of Americans use the Internet and TV simultaneously
Nielsen and Yahoo! uncover the truth behind share shift
Myth: Traditional media is dead.
Fact: Convergence is a reality.
A new study conducted for Yahoo! by the most trusted source in media measurement, Nielsen, demonstrates significant growth in media multi-tasking with more users focusing attention on the Internet. In early 2010, Nielsen gave Yahoo! the exclusive opportunity to survey their Convergence Panel homes (where single-source measurement of in-home TV and Internet usage is being tested) and match behavioral data to survey findings. The result? The American Media Multi-Tasker Study.
5 Nielsen study findings that Yahoo! advertisers can leverage
Study Finding: Three out of four Americans simultaneously multi-task with TV and Internet.
Key Advertiser Takeaway: Simultaneous use of TV & Internet is not only common, it is frequent and growing. 50 percent engage in simultaneous use daily and time spent multi-tasking has grown nearly 20 percent year-to-year. Behavior has changed significantly in the last year and doesn’t show any signs of stopping. Advertisers can leverage this trend by more closely tying online buys to TV buys.
Study Finding: More than one-half of multitaskers (54 percent) say that the Internet is the primary focus of their attention.
Key Advertiser Takeaway: For multitaskers, attention tends to be focused on the Internet, not TV. This is consistent across all age groups and gender. Advertisers can capitalize on this growing audience by targeting their online buys during traditional TV prime time.
Study Finding: Simultaneous use of Internet is typically unrelated to TV programs or commercials though simultaneous usage was lower during scripted dramas and comedies, as well as game and talk shows.
Key Advertiser Takeaway: Use of Internet while watching TV generally has little to do with the TV content. And internet behavior while multi-tasking closely reflects general internet behavior with The Big 3 Internet sites (Google, Yahoo!, Facebook) emerging as the top destinations. This means a healthy online advertising mix is the safest bet for advertisers looking to leverage simultaneous consumption.
Study Finding: Women are more likely to multi-task than men.
Key Advertiser Takeaway: Women are smarter than men. Just kidding. But seriously, if your target audience is women, increasing your investment online could be one the smartest advertising moves you can make.
Study Finding: Audiences aged 18-34 years are multi-tasking to the greatest extent (84 percent). Compare that to 78 percent of 35-49 year olds and 66 percent of those aged over 50.
Key Advertiser Takeaway: This finding isn’t too surprising to anyone who has watched a twentysomething text, hold a conversation and maybe even drive at the same time. What is surprising is the high percentage of older age groups that also move fluidly between TV and the Internet. Advertisers need to keep this in mind when leveraging demographic targeting online.
For more on The American Media Multi-Tasker Study, go to Yahoo! Advertising, or read this article in USA Today.
— Dianne Molina
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[ 4 comments | Categories: Industry Trends, Insights, Research, Yahoo! News ]
sounds like synchronized pop-up heaven
hi there,
i’m wondering if you can tell me the age of the respondents surveyed. 18+?
thanks.
jennifer
[...] New study reveals 75 percent of Americans use the Internet and TV simultaneously, Yahoo! Advertising Blog [...]
[...] New study reveals 75 percent of Americans use the Internet and TV simultaneously By Bekka Palmer – I admit I do this all the time… I thought I was an outlier though. A new study shows that 75% of Americans use the TV and Internet simultaneously. I have my living room set up so I can see the TV from my desk, and apparently I’m not the only one (except most people are probably using laptops, ipads or smartphones while on the couch). The study also revealed that people give more attention to the Internet and use the TV as background noise. I’m not in the television advertising business, but networks should take note, because if I were running a business I would spend my money online rather than on air. [...]