The stereotype image of the hyper-connected man, always with the latest hi-tech device in his hand, and of the woman grappling and seeking advice on how this or that works, is about to suffer a severe blow as a result of the latest Nielsen “Australia Connected Consumer Report”. According to which women today not only know exactly how to exploit technology and navigate the digital landscape to solve their needs and desires, but also expect brands to speak to them in their language and from their point of view.
In June 2015, there were nine million women connected online in Australia, 51% of the population. Women are more likely to get involved online, 57% regularly check their social profile (compared to 47% of men) and share more often online.
In particular, women, who have long been known for their propensity for multitasking, increasingly often use more than one device at a time, preferring smartphones and tablets, more manageable and easy to carry. Smartphones in particular are used to watch content, listen to music, use social media and share. If in general men spend more time online, women outnumber them, and by some margin, in accessing the internet via smartphones.
And that’s not all: three out of five women (60%, versus 56% of men) watch TV and use the internet at the same time; an activity concentrated between 6 and 10 pm: the ideal time to reach them with advertising or promotional messages, both via the web as well as TV. Laptops, smartphones and tablets are indispensable “second screens” for women, who for the first time are slightly more likely to use tablets than men.
Social use
It is precisely this social use of the web that brands must understand if they want to meet female consumers online. Women, for example, use Apps to socialise and share more often – 23% compared to 20% of men – and communicate, while men use Apps for e-commerce or commercial purposes. Both sexes are nevertheless inclined to “meet” brands online.
Coming to the preferred social media, women appear to be more active on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest, while Australian men prefer, in addition to Facebook, YouTube, Google+ and LinkedIn. It’s 50/50, on the other hand, with regard to Twitter.
Next frontier, wearables
There is growing interest in wearable devices (smart watches, smart glasses and the like), even if they are still slightly more used by the “stronger sex”. Fitbit, for example, a bracelet that measures physical activity and sleep, is more popular among women, while men prefer the Nike version, Fuelband. Nielsen envisages that the advent of the AppleWatch will in 2016 lead to a massive input of content by brands in the “wearables” market.
Traditional media, however, still remain important, with 91% of women still regularly watching TV (slightly more than men), while men prefer video on demand (71% compared to 62%).
