UK Internet users spend almost a quarter of their time online on social platforms, or 13 minutes in every hour, according to new data from Experian Hitwise. Other activities that occupy their time include entertainment sites (nine minutes per hour), shopping (six minutes) and business and email, which each take up two minutes per hour on average.
However, Experian only monitored visits through desktop computers and did not take into account traffic from 3G and 4G networks. This means that the total proportion of time spent on social media and email may be higher, as users are increasingly using their mobile devices to access the internet both while they are on the move and at home. Those two activities are most commonly undertaken by users when they are on the go, Experian noted.
The research, which also included internet users in the US and Australia, established that UK users are more likely to engage in multi-screen viewing, particularly in the evenings when they watch TV at home. Using their smartphones and tablets as additional sources of entertainment has changed the way people interact with brands and other users, the study shows.
According to James Murray, digital insights manager at Experian Marketing Services, the digital landscape is constantly changing and evolving. While this allows brands on social media to reach consumers online at virtually any time, it also means that they need to work hard to engage with them. Users tend to scan through online content and will pay attention only to things that they find especially intriguing.
It’s never been more important for brands to deliver a powerful and relevant message. And arguably it’s never been more difficult. If you’d like to talk about creating effective communications for your brand contact us today.
Social accounts for a quarter of UK users´ time online
