August 14, 2007
Shifting Internet Landscape
According to a new study released yesterday, content is now king. Online Publishers Association (OPA) found that the time Internet users spend viewing online content is up 37% from four years ago.Internet users spend almost half their time online reading and watching content, in contrast to the time spent searching for information, communicating with others and buying products.
The study analyzes four years of data compiled in the association's Internet Activity Index (IAI), a monthly measure of online e-commerce, communications, search and content activity done by Nielsen/NetRatings. It shows that while users in 2003 spent 46% of their time online communicating, they now spend 47% of their time viewing content. The share of time spent using e-mail or instant messaging tools has dropped 28% over the last four years, while the time spent on e-commerce activities is down 5% over the same period. Users spend about 5% of their time online searching for data.
According to the president of the OPA, "the IAI has identified a very significant and sustained trend in where consumers are spending their online time. The index indicates that, over the last four years, the primary role of the Internet has shifted from communications to content."
The growing popularity of social networking sites with a heavy focus on content is helping to drive the shift toward spending more time with content. According to publishers group, other factors behind the changes include the following:
* A faster Internet.
* The increased popularity of online video.
* Improvements in search tools, which helps users find content more easily.
* The large increase of the amount of content on the Web.
* The increased use of instant messaging, which reduces the time spent on communication activities.
The IAI measures Web sites that account for more than 90% of active Web users and 55% of total usage time. The monthly survey excludes .gov and .edu sites as well as pornographic sites.
View the Internet Activity Index
Posted by rsk at August 14, 2007 08:44 AM