How Long Do You Spend on Social Media Sites?
It is widely acknowledged that social media has become an integral component of our daily lives. However, social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter have grown so popular that they now account for more of our online time than any other single activity.
This is according to a new survey by global information services business Experian, which looked at how Internet users in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Australia spend their time online. It was discovered that for every hour a British person is online, they spend 13 minutes on a social networking site or forum.
This is more than entertainment, which receives an average of nine minutes, or online shopping, which receives an average of six minutes.
Surprisingly, reading and sending emails account for only two minutes, whereas news and media account for three.
Social networking is much more popular in the United States and Australia, where it accounts for 16 and 14 minutes of each hour, respectively.
Brits appear to be the most enthusiastic about e-commerce, with the average Internet user spending 10% of their online time shopping in 2012, compared to 6% in Australia and 9% in the United States.
Unsurprisingly, online shopping is particularly popular over the Christmas season. During last year’s holiday season, almost 370 million hours were spent on the Internet acquiring products and services. This is a 24% increase over the monthly average.
Australia leads the way in terms of news consumption, accounting for 6% of total online time. It accounts for 5% of GDP in the United Kingdom and 4% in the United States.
The Internet has also given rise to new sectors and numerous career opportunities. Whether you want to be a fully qualified web designer or a social media guru, there has never been a better moment to get started in digital in the UK, owing to the government-funded 24 Plus Loan.
