Europeans are more connected than ever with 426.9m online

IAB Europe results from its Mediascope Europe survey shows that Europeans are more connected than ever, with 462.9 million Europeans online across 28 markets.

Highlights from the research include:

• 426.9m Europeans use the internet (65%), spending 14.8 hours online each week
• One third (37%) of Europeans access the internet using more than one device
• Traditional media activities are rapidly moving online with more than nine in 10 European internet users visiting news websites
• Europeans are using the web and watching TV simultaneously to complement their viewing experience
• The internet has become an essential way for brands to engage with consumers with four in 10 European internet users agreeing that the way a brand communicates online is important
• 96% of European internet users research online for purchases and 87% shop online

Internet everywhere by any means

426.9 million Europeans go online every week (65%) with more than one third (37%) accessing the internet using more than one device.

64% of people access the web via a computer – 415.7 million people – and 21% use the internet on their mobile phone (139.2m). Using the internet via a computer is most popular in Norway and Switzerland (89%) and users are most likely to be aged between 25-44 years old (44%).

Mobile internet users are most likely to be 16-24 years old (30%) and using the internet via a mobile phone is most popular in the UK, Norway and Sweden where more than four in 10 access the internet via this device.

Time spent on the web differs by the device used – European’s spend a total of 14.8 hours online each week – those using a computer spend 13.3 hours, compared to 9.4 hours among those using mobile phones and 9.3 hours for those using tablets. The figure is 6.8 hours via games console.

Internet becomes ‘all consuming’ media device

What stands out in this research is how much of this ‘traditional’ media is now being consumed online –

• 91% of internet users read news online (388.5m) – men are more likely to be consumers of news online than women (93% vs. 89%) and 35-54 year olds are the most likely to read news online – at 93%
• 73% of internet users watch TV online (311.6m) – 16-24 year olds are the most likely to watch TV online – at 83% – closely followed by 35-44 year olds (81%)
• 67% of internet users listen to the radio online (286.0m) – this increases to 81% of 16-24s and men are more likely than women to listen to the radio online (68% vs. 66%)

Media multi-tasking means more active consumers

The research shows that a staggering 48% of Europeans say they use the internet while they watch TV (297.4m) and 16% of all time spent watching TV in Europe is done while using the internet. Europe’s heaviest online/TV multi-taskers are the Norwegians at 70%, followed by 68% of TV watchers in France and 62% of those watching TV in the UK.

The good news for advertisers is that one third (33%) of all TV and online multi-taskers say the online activity they’re doing is likely to be related to the TV programme they’re watching so there is a significant opportunity for brands to engage the consumer via both platforms.

Alison Fennah, vice president of research and marketing for IAB Europe, said: “It’s no longer appropriate or sensible to think of ‘using the internet’ as a specific and isolated activity.

“The ever-wider variety of devices that people use to access online content and the degree to which they do this while using other media shows the deep level of engagement consumers have with the internet today. For instance, many Europeans are clearly using the web and watching TV simultaneously, and a third of those are actually consuming complementary content.

“Those companies that understand and adapt to these changing consumption patterns will be the ones that succeed in the future.”

Brand relationships grow via digital touchpoints

The internet has become an essential way for brands to communicate and engage with consumers:

• 51% say the internet helps them choose better products/services
• 47% are inclined to find out more about products they see advertised online
• 46% of internet users say they often visit the website of their favourite brands
• 41% of European internet users agree that the way a brand communicates online is important
• 30% of internet users are more likely to buy a product of a brand they follow on a social networking site.

96% of European internet users research online for purchases, 87% shop online and almost one fifth (19%) of all their shopping is done via the internet. In a six month period Europeans spent €188 billion buying goods and services online – an average of €544 per European online shopper. Norwegian internet shoppers averaged the highest spend online (€1,162) followed by Swiss (€919) and Danish (€894) online shoppers. UK internet users devote the greatest share of total shopping spend to online (32.0%) followed by German (25.4%).

Fennah concludes: “As consumers we have access to a rich and varied media ‘playlist’ and the way we consume that content continues to evolve. Mediascope Europe is about understanding the impact those changes have on the way we behave – what we watch, what we read, what brands we prefer and what products and services we buy.

“What we see from the 2012 research is how the internet is being used together with traditional media – consumers aren’t rejecting one media platform over another, rather they are using multiple devices to enjoy a huge variety of media, either with their full attention or shared. For brands, advertisers and marketers, this information is essential to adapt and grow engagement with our consumers in our media multi-tasking world.”