Content
- Introduction
- Gambling addicts
- Shopaholics
- 'Rotated' millennials on social media
- Conclusion
Introduction
Recently I came across an interesting infographic that says that modern people almost never sleep, being online all the time. I propose to see how different categories of people spend their time on the Internet, what devices they use to connect to the network and what services they use.
I will make a reservation right away that I do not pretend to be the ultimate truth (and in any other). It must be understood that any research depends on the techniques and methods that are used. Now various organizations study society up and down in the interests of different marketers, and then they sell their creations and tell how, what and who needs to be sold so that everyone is happy. Since the American market is the largest and most capacious, most companies are studying it. Of course, depending on the country, there will be specificity for specific services and applications, but the trends, it seems to me, will remain the same. In my humble opinion, this information is very similar to the truth, and therefore I propose to consider it. In this case, the study was carried out on focus groups, which were offered for money to install a special program on all their gadgets and computers that tracked all user actions. I do not name the research organization directly and I do not give links, so as not to be considered advertising. But anyone who wishes can see the source in the illustrations and, if desired, can always read the original. So let's get started!
Gambling addicts
In this particular case, gamblers are called 20% of all users who spend the most time playing games. Most of them are men (55.1%) with incomes below the average or in the lower limit of the average level (up to $ 50 thousand per year). By the way, the so-called middle class in the United States earns on average $ 59,039 a year (this, of course, is the average temperature in a hospital, ranging from about $ 28,000 to $ 158,000 a year). Apparently, instead of making money, they play))) It's funny that in the age categories from 18 to 44 years old there is a smaller proportion of gamers than in the categories from 45 and older (younger people need to work to prove themselves / master something new, and those who are older have free time to play).
If not to talk about games, then during the day gamblers mostly go online from a smartphone (like most of the world's population) and use Facebook. The greatest activity is observed at 17.00 and 21.00. Gambling addicts use a personal computer about as actively as a smartphone. But the peaks of activity are noted at 11.00, 13.00, 16.00 and 20.00. The most popular services are Discord-Chat for Games and Google Search. The tablet is used the least of all, it is mainly viewed from Facebook and Gmail, small bursts are recorded at 9.00, 16.00 and 18.00.
Games are also mostly run on smartphones. The most popular games are Pokémon GO and Words with friends (analogous to Scrubble, or 'Scrabble' in our opinion). The greatest activity is observed at 9.00, 15.00, 18.00 and 20.00. On a personal computer, they mainly play Microsoft Solitaire at 3.00, 8.00, 13.00, 16.00 and 20.00 (who are these people who play solitaire at 3 am?!?). Play time on the tablet is about the same as on the PC. But farming games (Township and Hay Day) are popular. Bursts are recorded at 8.00, 14.00, 16.00, 18.00 and 20.00 (I can see people who water their garden before work during breakfast). Funny statistics))). But if you remember who is considered a gambling addict in this study and what age and social groups they represent, then everything falls into place))).
The researchers conclude that gambling addicts tend to use the same online services as other people. But to such common services as Facebook and Google search, the specific ZergNet.com, Kinja and Shop Your Way are added.
Shopaholics
In this particular case, shopaholics are 20% of all users who spend the most time in online stores or choosing a product (that is, reading reviews, recommendations). Most of them are women (60%) with average incomes (from $ 25 thousand to $ 100 thousand per year). Comparing the distribution by age, it can be noted that the proportion of shopaholics in the age categories 35-44 and over 55 is higher compared to the distribution of all online users. To be fair, it must be said that in the age categories 25-34 and 45-54 the share of shopaholics and all users is very close, but at the age of 18-24 there are much less of them. Apparently, young people prefer to buy offline, or do not spend a lot of time choosing, do not bother about this, in short. In fact, given that today you can buy everything online, and, as you know, housekeeping lies mainly on the shoulders of women, such a portrait becomes understandable.
During the day, shopaholics mostly go online from a personal computer (!!!). What a surprise. Apparently, this is due to the convenience of the large screen and the possible conservatism of this category. You will see another explanation below. Uses YouTube, Amazon, Facebook and Google search. The greatest activity is noted at 4.00, 12.00 and 21.00 (what else to do at 4 in the morning, how not to shop at Amazon or watch a review of another new item on YouTube). Smartphones are most actively used at 13.00, 16.00 and 19.00. The most popular services are YouTube, Google Maps, Facebook and Google search (the presence of maps in this list got me thinking. I found only two versions. Considering that a database of interesting places with recommendations appeared in Google maps, then this can also be viewed as shopping or choosing something. The second version is banal and smacks of sexism. Women after a hard day at work do not always remember the way home and resort to Google help). The tablet is the least used. Small bursts are recorded at 9.00, 13.00, 16.00 and 19.00, and are watched from YouTube, Amazon, Facebook and Audi ble.
Shopping is mainly done with a PC (as I noted above). The most popular services are Ebates (this is a popular cashback service in the US), eBay, Amazon and Walmart. The greatest activity is observed at 10.00, 12.00, 14.00 and 20.00. Smartphones are viewed mainly Amazon, eBay, Poshmark and Shopkick at 13.00, 16.00 and 19.00. On the tablet, they leaf through Wish (a kind of analogue of AliExpress, consumer goods from China are not only Russian fun), Amazon and eBay. Bursts are recorded at 12.00, 15.00, 17.00 and 21.00.
If you look at the distribution of time spent shopping during the week, it becomes clear that mostly shopaholics roam about online stores or related services from Monday to Friday during business hours. There is much less activity on weekends. It seems that this is the mystery of the popularity of the PC among this category of people. The workplace for most people is represented by a personal computer, many (probably there are some among the readers) prefer to spend their working time on shopping, rather than personal.
Oddly enough, shopaholics often use the same online services as other people. But to such widespread services as Facebook and Google search, PayPal and Instagram are added, which has recently been doing a lot to become a showcase for online trading (a kind of mini-analogue Amazon).
'Rotated' millennials on social media
In the original, this term sounds a little more restrained – 'advanced' or 'savvy'. The content allows you to use my version too. Millennials in this particular case refer to US residents aged 18 to 35 years. In general, in the United States, it is customary to consider millennials those born from 1981 to 2000, and in Russia – from 1987 to 2000. By the way, millennials make up approximately 29-30% of the entire online audience in the US. Social media users are the 20% of all millennials who spend the most time on social media and messengers. Among these 'advanced' social media consumers, there are equal numbers of men and women (50/50). They have incomes below the average or in the lower limit of the average level (up to $ 50 thousand per year). Probably, as is the case with the players, they use social networks and instant messengers instead of making money))).
During the day, geeky millennials tend to go online from their smartphones (like most of the world's population) and use YouTube, Facebook and Instagram. The greatest activity is noted at 4.00, 17.00, 20.00 and 22.00 (in the early morning, and maybe late in the evening, there is nothing better than to 'write down' a fresh post or see what's new on social networks). Millennials use their personal computers less actively than their smartphones. Peaks of activity are noted at 4.00, 10.00, 12.00, 17.00 and 21.00 (again 4 in the morning, that is, they also include the PC at this time). The most popular services are Tumblr, YouTube, Netflix, Amazon and Google search. The tablet is used least of all, mainly Tumblr, Netflix, YouTube, YouTube Kids, LIVEJOURNAL (alive, smoking room!), Facebook and Snapchat, small bursts are recorded at 7.00, 13.00, 15.00, 19.00 and 22.00.
If you look only at social networks and instant messengers, then it turns out that millennials are also 'sitting' there mainly from smartphones. The most popular services are Instagram, Facebook Messenger, Facebook, Snapchat and Twitter. The greatest activity is observed at 4.00, 16.00, 20.00 and 22.00. On a personal computer, use Tumblr, Gmail, Facebook, Discord – Chat for Games and Twitter at 4:00, 8:00, 15:00 and 21:00. On the tablet, they chat on Tumblr, Gmail, LIVEJOURNAL, Discord – Chat for Games, Snapchat and Facebook. Bursts are recorded at 13.00, 15.00 and 21.00.
If you look at the distribution of time spent on social media and messengers, you can see that, firstly, millennials never sleep. And secondly, the active Friday evening, typical for young people, smoothly flows into Saturday morning. This is followed by a slight decrease in activity on the weekend.
The researchers conclude that gambling addicts tend to use the same online services as other people. There are no special differences here, so I won't even give tables.
Conclusion
What attracted me to these particular studies?
- First, they show that any audience can be divided in the way the researchers want (the example of elderly gambling addicts playing solitaire from Microsoft is very indicative). Then, on this basis, you can draw any stunning conclusions. And all this 'crap' someone will read and nod with a clever look, and, possibly, buy (there are many reputable firms among the clients of this research company).
- Secondly, tablets in any, even the most unimaginable categories of users (see above) do not find much time for use. Relatively speaking, they have finally turned into home devices, to some extent bedside devices (or maybe they were originally like that?).
- Third, people never sleep. For me, for example, it is surprising that someone finishes using gadgets (no matter for what purpose) at 2.00, and starts again at 4.00.
- Fourthly, if all this is transferred to Russian realities, then it seems to me that only specific services will change (instead of Facebook, Facebook Messenger and Snapchat will be Vkontakte, Whatsapp, Viber, Skype and maybe Telegram). Content consumption profiles will be similar (at least for shopaholics and millennials, and for men over 55, solitaire from Microsoft will probably remain the main toy).
As a wish, do not forget to include your head when you read the research results. In reports, you should always look at the methodology for studying the subject area and the source data.
In the comments, I suggest expressing what you think of the given user profiles. Have you met those who are described? Or maybe you recognized yourself?)) Are these descriptions applicable in our country?
Ivan Alexandrov