Digital America 2013: Trends for the Modern and Digital American Consumer

Online Radio

A social medium perhaps being overlooked by marketers/PR professionals is the medium of online radio.

• While AM/FM radio is still a primary way for people to listen to music, twenty-three percent of 13-35 year olds rank Internet radio as their first choice according to NPD Group, illustrating that Internet radio is a growing means to reach the consumer audience.
• Ninety-five percent of radio dollars are spent on AM/FM, and only five percent of radio dollars are spent on Internet radio.
• With 140 million Americans tuning into online radio monthly, using online radio to disseminate brand messaging will become an increasingly popular marketing tool.

T-Commerce

Tablets are widely popular with the American consumer and individuals are using tablets more than smartphones for purchasing purposes (because of the graphics, larger screens, easy navigation and size).

• According to an Adobe Systems study, fifty-five percent of tablet owners have bought a product via their device versus only twenty-eight percent of smartphone users.
• Two-thirds of tablet owners research items on their device before buying.
• Tablets delivered fifty-seven percent of m-commerce sales in 2012
• Twenty-five percent of these consumers post comments in social media after making their purchase.

TV

American’s participation in social TV is skyrocketing, and many consumers now own multiple gadgets where they can access TV.

• Sixty-two percent of consumers use social media while watching TV
• Thirty-three percent of active Twitter users have tweeted about a show
• Social TV is driving consumers to watch shows in real time – half of all conversations relate to what is currently on TV.
• Three quarters of consumers who own multiple gadgets use a second screen while watching TV. Tablet plus TV is the most common combination; users are almost evenly split on their primary focus.

• An increasing number of consumers use Amazon as their first stop on the Internet, no matter what they want to purchase. Brands must have a presence there.
• Twice as many consumers start their shopping searches on Amazon as on Google according to a Forrester study.
• Eighty-six percent of online Americans have purchased from the site.

• The majority of consumers believe they are being inappropriately tracked by companies –forty percent have been made uncomfortable by personalized ads.
• Even if it benefits them, users do not want their actions followed – Seventy-three percent do not want their clicks tracked to personalize search results.
• Smartphone users are actively working to thwart information gathering and tracking – the vast majority are not interested in geolocation services and half have deleted apps after downloading due to privacy concerns.

Online customer service

Navigate the waters of social media with due diligence and make sure to respond to dissatisfied customers. Left unanswered or ignored, they will take their business to a competitor.

• Eighty-eight percent of consumers are less likely to buy from a company if it has unanswered complaints on social media.
• Almost half of consumers have used social media for customer service.
• An increasingly large group prefers customer service via social channels.
• Americans have high expectations for social care.
• Less than half of all customer service tweets are answered
• Majority of companies spend less than $50k on social customer service.

Main reasons for un-friending/un-following brands:

• They post too much.
• Content different than expected.
• Do not see the value in staying connected.
• Signed up with intent of unfriending.