Information is most important for online users

Forget the telephone or newspapers. According to a recent survey from the Online Publisher's Association, more consumers are going online to talk with peers, exchange information and learn about current events.

by Kristina Knight

Roughly 46% of online users visited content websites in March. Content sites include broadcast news websites and newspaper websites as well as entertainment sites.

Communications websites are also important to online users. These websites include any sites that allow users to communicate online - free email servers, social networks, instant messaging sites and others. In March, 33% of online users went to such sites.

After communicating with peers, 15% of users went online to shop.

What is most interesting about this survey is that it lists only 4% of users going online to search. Though search did see an increase of 2% year-over-year, it seems as though search functions are an afterthought for users.

With the latest search numbers from Nielsen//Netratings indicating that more than 6 billion searches were performed in April, obviously users are using search engines. However, it appears as though users take to search engines after checking their first stops of social networks, news websites and email.

For online marketers, then, it is important to include non-search websites in an online ad campaign. Keeping an active social networking site, advertising on news and information hubs and communicating with consumers through email should be a high priority for marketers.

Tags: online advertising, online content, social marketing, social networking

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