Last month, we reported how a study showed that women preferred social networking over shopping. Now comScore has come up with a study on how women are shaping the internet. Women spending time on social networking sites is not really much of a surprise to be honest. I know some girls who like to check their Facebook or Twitter every 10-15 minutes. But what this new study does show, which is something very interesting, is how women are actually utilizing the web more ways than men are.
The study is divided into seven categories so I would like to go the same way as well:
1. The Gender Divide
Women lose out to men when it comes to the overall percentage online but this can be attributed to developing countries where internet has not achieved much penetration. But the women who have access are said to be more connected than men.
My Take: If they mean time by “connected”, are we really surprised?
2. Women And the Social Web
Men and women alike are attracted to the internet mainly by communicating and social newtworking. Women tend to spend more time on social networking websites and photo-sharing sites. As the number of older-women engaging in social activities are increasing, social web is being dominated by women.
My Take: It is great that older women are joining social networking and keeping in touch with old pals. But after all, women for every age do like to “like” all pictures, and definitely find it hard to resist commenting on something which automatically increases time. I would however like to add that men like to gossip more than women so my kind will definitely give women a tough competition soon.
3. Women and Retail
The study shows that women tend to shop online more than men, but are also comparatively smarter than men. Though the minority on the internet, even though by a small margin, women dominate the retail usage on the web which extends from visiting a site to making a purchase online.
My Take: Any man, who has had a friend of the opposite gender will know that women love to look at everything before making the purchase, if any. They have just taken this trend online and thus the retail usage for women ought to be higher.
4. Content for Women?
Content for men is the stereotypical sports, automobiles, some finance, and a lot of adult websites. For women, it ranges from community, lifestyle sites to even gaming/gambling websites! They even gave men a close run when it came to adult content.
My Take: Men: Grow up and make yourself useful around the house by visiting some lifestyle and cooking sites. Women: Adult content? Respect.
5. Search Activity
According to the study, women have different preferences when it comes to searching online. And interestingly, women tend to use Bing more than Google.
My Take: Are you serious? Its Google! How can you ignore Google?
6. Entertaining Women
Women have really been attracted by online card and board games. Though they consume less video overall, they have shown a liking for YouTube.
My Take: How much free time do you people have? But then again, I spend most of my time on the same. Either I have too much free time, or maybe I am actually a woman.
7. Mobile Women
As women are less likely to own a Smartphone or have an unlimited data plan, and thus generate a smaller share of online activity on the mobile space. However, most of the women who do use their mobile phones to surf the web, go to social networking websites.
My Take: I have no words.
All jokes apart, the study actually proves that women use the web more smartly than men. Be it to network, or be it to buy something, or just to search for something, women utilize the potential of the web more than men. Wonder what a study purely on men would reveal.
