As the online privacy debates rages, people all over the world are becoming more aware of how they are accessing the Internet, especially social networks. The latest insights from Kantar Media’s TGI Net Europa study reveal the habits, behaviours and motivations of social network users in Great Britain, Germany, France and Spain. Across these western […]
As the online privacy debates rages, people all over the world are becoming more aware of how they are accessing the Internet, especially social networks. The latest insights from Kantar Media’s TGI Net Europa study reveal the habits, behaviours and motivations of social network users in Great Britain, Germany, France and Spain.
Across these western European markets, 80% of adults have used the Internet in the past year and 76% have used it in the past month. Spain’s adult population is the least Internet savvy, with only 60% of Spanish adults having gone online in the past month, compared to 80% of those in Great Britain, Germany and France.
TGI Net Europa reveals that 60% of adult Internet users in western Europe have used social networking sites in the past six months. Those in France and Germany are particularly keen on visiting reunion sites, being 34% and 23% respectively more likely than the average European Internet user to log on to such sites. Spain’s social networkers are focused on business; they are 86% more likely to use professional networking sites, such as Linked-in. Meanwhile, the British have embraced the selfie; they are 32% more likely to visit photo sharing sites, such as Instagram and Flickr, than the average European Internet user.
Because of the addictive nature of social networks, it is also interesting to compare the frequency with which these western European adults visit social sites. Great Britain’s consumers take the lead as being the most active; they are 37% more likely to access these types of networks more than once a day. In comparison, those in Spain are more than four times more likely than the average European Internet user to access social networks less than every six months. This reflects how each society uses social networks differently; Great Britain seems to be keeping up with friends’ lives on social networks, while Spain may be more engaged with them for business opportunities and linking to other people in a professional sense.
One aspect that may affect engagement with various social networking sites across Europe is the number of friends, followers or people users follow on Linked-in. German users have the lowest number of connections of all of the countries with an average of 40 followers, compared to Spain or Great Britain where the average is 47 and 49 connections respectively. On Facebook, however, Germany’s Internet users boast one of the highest engagement levels, with users having an average of 119 friends, compared to 89 for French users.
Surprisingly, the Spanish are quite engaged with their connections on Twitter. They have an average of 64 followers, the same number as British users. It is Britain that boasts the highest engagement across Twitter, Linked-in and Facebook amongst western European Internet users.
We could go further with Kantar Media’s Ad-Vantage study – which takes detailed TGI-defined targets and sources the exact cookies for reaching them online – and uncover the most efficient sites for targeting these various groups.
While the numbers don’t lie, what is most telling about European users social networking habits is their attitudinal profiles towards these types of sites. As the most engaged of the western European countries when it comes to social media, it makes sense that the British prize the social aspects of social media. British Internet users are 25% more likely to believe that social networking sites are a perfect way to keep in touch with friends. Meanwhile, the Spanish are keen on user content sites that aid them with e-commerce decisions. They are 47% more likely to value websites that allow input from their users than those who do not. They are also 36% more likely to say that other peoples’ opinions help them make major purchase decisions.
These attitudes towards the Internet may hint at how European users think about other aspects of media consumption. One reason why Germany and Spain may not embrace social media whole heartedly is because of their more traditional nature when it comes to media. Despite using the Internet, TGI Net Europa reveals that Germans are more than twice as likely as the average European Internet user to read a newspaper most days. Adults in Spain are nearly three times more likely than the average to listen to the radio for companionship. Those in Great Britain, on the other hand, have a voracious appetite for the latest trends in TV. They are nearly three times as likely to use on demand TV services to create their own TV schedules.
Source: Kantar Media
