Social Networkers Are Also Heavy Technology Users

Web 2.0 and Social Media is all the rage but what does the Social Networker really look like? And how does visiting a social network really impact technology ownership, mobile phone features, digital media consumption, and online/mobile behavior both here in the US and around the globe?

Ipsos Insight’s newest report, PROFILE: Social Networker, gets to the heart of the matter and identifies key differences in behavior and digital media consumption between those who visit social networks and those who don’t. In addition, there are also notable differences between the US Social Networker and the International Social Networker.

“This is very important information for media, entertainment, and technology companies to understand” says Brian Cruikshank, Executive Vice President and Managing Director of Ipsos Insight’s Technology and Communications practice. “Social Networkers are significantly more likely to own technology, consume more digital entertainment, and own more mobile devices.”

Technology Ownership
The US Social Networker owns significantly more technology than their International counterparts with the exception of MP3 players and Mobile GPS. However both of them own more technology than those who have never visited a social networking site.

Digital Entertainment
By a significant margin, Social Networkers both here in the US and internationally are more likely to engage in online music, video, and gaming activities. Over half of all US Social Networkers have watched TV shows or video streams online. In addition, US Social Networkers are significantly more likely to download TV programs, burn/copy a movie or TV show, and download a feature length film.

Social Networking Goes Mobile
In terms of mobile behavior, over half of all US Social Networkers have used their mobile device to send/receive SMS text and e-mails, browse the internet for news and info, and receive digital images. While the International Social Networker exhibits the same behavior, their mobile devices are more feature rich. For example, the International Social Networker is significantly more likely to have an MP3 on their mobile device vs. those in the US.

It is clear that Web 2.0 is here to stay. Social networking sites are beginning to deliver more and more content, broadband continues to grow, and more feature-rich mobile devices continue to be introduced into the US market. “We can look to the International Social Networker for a preview of where the US market will go and it’s going to be all about mobile social networking” concludes Cruikshank.

Methodology:
The Social Networking Profile was created from The Face of the Web report. Respondents were asked if they ever visited a social networking website (MySpace, Friendster, Cyworld, Mixi). Those who answered “yes” are classified as social networkers and are compared against those who answered “no.”

The US Social Networker is based on a weighted sample of 237 and those who answered “no” is based on a weighted sample of 559.

The International Social Networker is based on a weighted sample of 761 and those who answered “no” is based on a weighted sample of 2,084. This sample is an aggregate of 11 countries: Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, Russia, South Korea and the UK.
Data for The Face of the Web: 2006 were collected in November and December 2006.

The sample includes:
2006 Prevalence (general population) Information:
Consisted of 6,553 interviews of the general adult population in 12 markets around the world.
2006 Internet User Information:
Consisted of 3,798 interviews (unweighted) with recent Internet Users who have used the Internet in the past 30 days in 12 markets around the world.
Internet Users fell out of the general population sample.