Online Round-Up: European Web Habits Revealed By Research

Research from Internet research specialist Nielsen//NetRatings shows European web users flocking to the Internet through a variety of channels, with the spread of access methods across different nations reflecting the growing diversity of online audiences.

According to the new figures, Internet access from the home remains the most popular method of access overall, with 93% of Europe’s online population, or “Netizens,” going online from their own homes, compared to 47% at work, 26% from educational institutions and 19% from Internet cafés.

Further break-down of the statistics shows Hungary as the emerging nation most likely to access the Internet from home, with 97% of Netizens going online from that location, while Greek users are most likely to access the net from work, with 67% opting to do so. Bulgarians are most likely to use an Internet Café (41%) or a library (16%) for their online exploits.

Explaining the trends, and their reflection of respective markets, Alex Burmaster, European Internet Analyst at Nielsen//NetRatings, said: “Accessing the web from public locations – particularly Internet Cafés – plays a major role in the emerging net markets. Investing in an Internet Cafe in Bulgaria, Romania or Latvia where at least a third of the Internet population use them is a better bet, for example, than in the UK where only 18% are likely to walk through the door.”

Nielsen//NetRatings’ figures show a wide array of devices being used to access the web by European audiences, not just traditional PCs.

Lithuanians are shown as the most technologically advanced Netizens, with users there the most likely to access the web from mobile phones (42%), PDAs (12%), games consoles (12%)) and high street kiosks (8%). Whilst overall, 17% of Netizens currently access the web using a mobile phone, 5% through a Digital TV, and 4% with PDA’s and games consoles.

Lithuania’s figures put the UK well in the shade in terms of technical diversity, with the emerging market’s wide range of access methods comparing to a comparatively small 25% of British web users accessing the Internet via mobiles, and just 3% using PDAs to get online.

Meanwhile, Bulgarian Internet users are the emerging market most likely to venture online using laptops (44%), outperforming Britain’s 34%, while Latvians are the most likely emerging market to access the net through Digital TVs (19%), 9% points higher than the UK’s 10%.

Burmaster highlighted the importance of the findings, particularly those surrounding mobile media, stating: “The results are sure to surprise most people who think that the most exciting developments in regards to the growth of the Internet are occurring in the more established markets of Germany, the UK and France. This is simply not the case.

“Lithuanians are three and a half times more likely than UK surfers to access the web using a PDA. ‘Internet on the move’ is really being embraced in the Eastern Block – particularly in countries such as Lithuania, Ukraine and the Czech Republic.”

The internet usage figures also reveal a range of activities being shifted online, with more than one in ten online Europeans planning to make an online purchase within the next six months, while 12% plan to conduct at least some of their banking activities through the Internet.

Other popular activities include online mapping, with route-finding services expected to be used by 15% of Europe’s online community. By far the most popular activity, not surprisingly, is the use of e-mail, with 47% of those online in Europe planning to send electronic messages in the next six months.

According to Nielsen//NetRatings over half (54%) of Netizens now read an online newspaper, compared to 62% who read the printed version.

In the UK, just 26% of internet users are likely to read online newspapers, although this looks set to change following a massive investment in online media by traditional publishers. Last year saw Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp making a particular effort to catch up, following the firm’s previous and widely acknowledged neglect of the sector (see Online Purchase Gives Murdoch Male Audience).

Ukrainians and Hungarians are the most likely of the emerging markets to read online newspapers, at 82% and 77% respectively. Elsewhere, one in five (21%) online Europeans now spend more time reading an online version of a newspaper than the print version, while 10% spend an equal amount of time on each.

Almost one in three (31%) buy less printed newspapers because of online versions, while 77% would prefer to buy a printed newspaper than pay a subscription for an online edition.

Burmaster concludes: “When looking at what online activities surfers across Europe will be engaging in over the next six months we can see clearly that the popularity of different activities varies hugely across different countries. For example – Estonians are the most likely to use Instant Messaging, Italians the most likely to use a mapping service and the Swiss most likely to look for a job online.

“In terms of activities many so-called less developed Internet nations will be embracing the net with far greater zeal than people in the UK. For example Ukrainian surfers are far more likely than UK surfers to research family history, look for a partner/new friend or gamble online. Furthermore, Hungarians are ten times more likely to delete cookies than their UK counterparts. Just like the offline world, when it comes to the Internet landscape Europe is an extremely varied and contrasting land.”

Nielsen//NetRatings: 020 7014 0590 www.nielsennetratings.com Alex Burmaster: aburmaster@netratings.com