If you ever wonder about the importance of your role as an eMarketer, you only have to look at the facts and figures associated with internet usage; here are some that I’ve recently encountered:
– Nearly 65% of Americans use the Internet; with females making up 51.8% (eMarketer)
– Current economic strife is having an effect on Internet use, 18.8M searched for jobs online in December 2008 – 51% increase in unique visitors compared to December 2007. (ibidem)
– In the last three years, the greatest increase in internet use was in the 70 to 75 age group; just over one-quarter of them were online in 2005 – dispelling the notion that retirees aren’t online. (The Pew Internet & American Life Project)
– Gen-X users are most likely to bank, shop and search for healthcare information online; baby boomers were just as likely as Gen-Y users to make travel reservations. Meaning that there are no hard and fast rules. (ibidem)
We all know the circular relationship between email and the internet… and while these stats give hope to an increased number of recipients, they also indicate a population savvy enough to find what they want elsewhere. This means preference collection, regular engagement and paying attention to your recipients is the only way to stay competitive.
