Silver Surfers Catching Up With Youth Online
Broadband adoption amongst European silver surfers (55 years and over) is growing at a faster rate than the average European internet user (26% year on year growth compared to 14%), according to new research from the European Interactive Advertising Association (EIAA).
The EIAA report also shows that 68% of all European internet users aged 55+ now use broadband at their main point of internet connection.
Silver surfers now spend an average of 8.8 hours online per week – a growth of 18% since 2004 – and 78% of the time they spend online is for personal reasons rather than work.
One in four log onto the internet in a typical week and weekend use is growing at a rate of 19% year on year.
The research also dispels the myth that social networking is the domain of the young, with nearly one in five (18%) silver surfers visiting sites such as MySpace and Bebo at least once a month – not that far behind the younger digital generation (16-34 year old internet users), 28% of whom regularly access social networking sites.
Silver surfers are also making the most of the entertainment available online. 21% now listen to the radio online, 7% have downloaded TV programmes and films – 40% year on year growth since 2005 – and 7% are enjoying online gaming.
Travel and holiday sites are particularly popular with silver surfers, with 60% visiting travel sites and 55% visiting holiday sites (7% and 6% higher than the average European internet users respectively). Their research also converts into purchases, with 47% having bought travel tickets online and 32% having bought a holiday online.
Using email and carrying out searches online are also popular, with 83% regularly carrying out both activities. Keeping up to date with current affairs and news is important, with nearly two thirds of silver surfers visiting online news sites (61%).
Alison Fennah, executive director of the EIAA, said: “It is interesting to see the effect that increased broadband penetration is having on how silver surfers are communicating and spending their leisure time.
“There is huge growth in usage of online tools made popular by web 2.0 and we expect this exponential growth to continue as the internet plays an even bigger part in the daily lives of this slightly older demographic.”
A recent forecast from eMarketer predicted that Britain is set to account for over half of all online ad spending in Western Europe in 2007, rising to a 52.6% market share in 2010.
Meanwhile, research from across the pond carried out by the Pew Internet & American Life Project showed that nearly half (47%) of all adult Americans now have a high-speed internet connection at home.
European Interactive Advertising Association: www.eiaa.net