Video and Social Networking Drive Online Engagement

Internet users' engagement with the online landscape is deepening, according to a study conducted by Nielsen. The firm says this is in part due to the growing popularity of viewing video content online, and of social networking.

Since 2003, engagement in portal-oriented browsing sites, such as shopping directories and guides and Internet tools/web services, has grown significantly. Nielsen says that this change is down to the fact that using video and social networking sites is becoming more widespread.

In the past six years, the number of American users frequenting online video destinations has climbed 339% and time spent on these sites has shot up nearly 2,000% over the same period.

There are 87% more online social media users now than there were in 2003, with time devoted to those sites up tenfold. In the last year alone, time spent on social networking sites has surged 73%, and in February, social network usage exceeded web-based e-mail usage for the first time.

'In recent years the Internet has changed dramatically as people seek more personalized relationships online,' said Charles Buchwalter, SVP, Research and Analytics, Nielsen Online. 'In particular, time spent on social networks and video sites has increased astronomically. Advertisers are starting to positively re-assess the value of the online experience and create more meaningful relationships with consumers.'

The study also showed that online display advertising has plateaued at 20% of total online ad spend in the US. Nielsen predicts that led by social media, search and video, the Internet's share of total ad spend will continue its steady upward trend as global economies emerge from the current recession.

Nielsen Online delivers measurement and analysis of online and mobile audiences, advertising, video, consumer-generated media, word of mouth, commerce and consumer behavior, and includes products previously marketed under the Nielsen//NetRatings, Nielsen BuzzMetrics and Nielsen Mobile brands.

Web site: www.nielsen-online.com .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.

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