Digital households

The digital households in the Netherlands can be characterised with five types of internet users. That is the result of a long running survey for Sanoma magazines and online services. The survey consists of a quantitative and a qualitative part. In the qualitative section members of households are questioned, while a camera is running.

The five types of internet users are:
- help seekers: these people use internet sparsely, need help from other people; they usually have an older type of computer and use a dial-up connection;
- fun internet users: for these internet users internet is a source of entertainment. They play simple games, download music and sometimes a movie;
- functional users: these people use internet for directory information, e-mailen and internet banking. They do not use internet daily and they turn off the computer after having used it;
- frequent surfers: these users are active on internet, but watch also TV and listen to radio. Frequent surfers use internet functionally, but also for fun. They have an ADSL connection;
- technofans: young men with an affinity to technology. The computer is relatively new and the center of life. The computer is never closed and used for all kind of applications. Technofans speak through internet via comments, polls and reviews. They have no problems with online buying, even from unknown web shops.

The last group consists of active, hard nosed internet users; usually young men. Technofans influence the buying habits as they put product reviews online. Dutch people like to read these reviews before a capital intensive purchase. Some 45 percent of Dutch people have abandoned a planned purchase after reading a negative review.

The segmentation in five groups is of importance for marketing. A site prominently used by functional users should be different from a techno fan site. For functional users perhaps cross-channel communication should be used. The level of internet experience and the way in which internet is used is relevant for the way internet users can be addressed on a website. It will also influence the creative process, choice of medium and title of publication.

Blog Posting Number: 779

Tags: digital households