|
Website categories that gained the most new visitors in 2007
include politics (35%), women's community (35%) and entertainment
news (32%). The following chart lists other categories posting
significant increases.
Growing Enrollment in Foreign Language Classes
Foreign language classes in US colleges show the highest
enrollments in Spanish (52%) and French (13%). Since 2002,
Spanish class enrollments have grown 10.3%, compared to a
2.2% rise in French. Languages with the fastest growing enrollments
are Arabic (up 127%), Chinese (up 51%), American Sign Language
(up 30%), and Japanese (up 28%).
Views on Religious Tolerance
Some 70% of Americans with a religious affiliation say that
their religion is not the only way to eternal life. Details
on this view by faith are: mainline Protestants (83%), members
of historic Black Protestant churches (59%), Roman Catholics
(79%), Jews (82%), members of Evangelical churches (57%),
and Muslims (56%). This Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life
study also showed that 68% believe there is more than one
true way to interpret the teachings of their own religion.
About 25% of Americans left the faith of their childhood,
including 44% of Protestants who changed denominations as
adults. More than one-quarter of people who are not affiliated
with a faith still decide to attend religious services at
least occasionally.
Media Multi-tasking Among Internet Users
More than eight in 10 people (82.4%) use more than one medium
at a time. Television is the most popular media to combine
with Internet use. Some 75.6% have gone online while watching
TV, with 42.9% doing so regularly. Men aged 18-24 (51.2%)
are more likely than the average adult (15.9%) to say they
frequently or always go online when watching TV.
Online and Mobile Activities
While virtually all age groups use e-mail, the chart below
shows which other activities online users - who own cell phones
- participate in by age.
Social Networkers' Preferences
Most 18-25-year-old social networking users (80%) visit these
sites at least once a month. However, 72% say they would stop
going if they had to pay a fee. Other user preferences are
detailed in the chart below.
Internet Is Most Common Source for Used Cars
In 2007, 72% of used car shoppers (who are Internet users)
conducted at least some of their shopping process online,
with 94% finding consumer-generated rating and reviews at
least somewhat helpful. About 23% of used car shoppers ultimately
found the car they purchased online, a 44% increase from 2006.
This was the first year that the Internet surpassed all other
shopping methods in locating the vehicle they purchased.
Women take 15.9 weeks to find their car and men take 14.1
weeks. Men (49%) are more likely than women (38%) to know
what make of car they want before they begin shopping. While
women (22%) are more likely than men (13%) to be open to any
vehicle that meets their requirements.
Cable Television Channels vs. Packages
More than one-half of cable subscribers (52%) want to be
able to pay for individual channels rather than pay for a
full package, as is currently required by cable companies.
Some 35% like the package system, and 12% are undecided, with
71% saying they don't like to pay for channels they don't
watch.
One concern for the pay-per-channel option is that smaller,
lesser-known channels would not be able to survive. Women
(47%) are more likely than men (37%) to be concerned about
this problem.
A large majority of subscribers (82%) think the cost of cable
is too high, including 46% who say it is much too high.
US Political Ad Spending
US political campaign spending on television ads is expected
to reach $3 billion in 2008, up from $2.3 billion in 2006
and $1.7 billion in 2004. Less than 2% of political ad budgets
will be spent online, much less than the 50% to 80% of the
budgets that will be spent on broadcast TV advertising.
In many cases, the push TV ads are sending people to the
candidates' Web sites, where they are greeted with requests
for donations, e-mail addresses and campaign merchandise for
sale. So, while the Internet is not getting its fair share
of political ad dollars yet, it is already being used as a
commanding one-two punch to raise awareness and funds.
Latinos Online
More than one-half (56%) of Hispanic-Americans surveyed said
they spent at least one hour online each day, which was slightly
more than the 50% who spent an hour or more watching TV. Three-quarters
of respondents say they multitask, indicating they always
or very frequently used the Internet and TV simultaneously.
Of those, 44% e-mailed or instant messaged about the shows
they were watching and 40% researched products being advertised
on TV. More than one-third went to the Web site for the show
being watched.
Although individual Hispanic-American Internet usage is greater
than that of the general US population, the group is still
under-represented online, especially in broadband access.
While 50.8% of all US households are online via broadband,
only 35.2% of Hispanic households have this technology.
Medical Tourism
Nearly 40% of US healthcare consumers say they would travel
outside the country for medical treatment, if the quality
was the same and the cost was cut in half. Men (44.5%) are
more likely than women (33.3%) to consider a trip abroad for
treatment. Other factors affecting interest in medical tourism
are detailed below.
Retail Promotions and Health Benefits
Nine in 10 people who received health coaching as part of
a retail promotion (such as a product demonstration) said
they found it valuable to their health. Almost two-thirds
(64%) changed their dietary habits as a result of what they
learned. Some 54% visited the promotional sponsor's website
and 43% went to see their doctor.
Consumer-Driven Health Plans
Today, more than four in 10 employers (42.8%) offer a consumer-driven
health plan. These include plans with a health savings account
(offered by 23% of employers); a high deductible plan with
health reimbursement account (12%); and a high deductible
plan without a health reimbursement account (9%). Some 91%
offer a dental plan and 86% offer a mail-order prescription
service.
In consumer-driven health plans, consumers have the primary
decision-making role regarding what care they receive. One
study found that patients of these plans were twice as likely
as patients in traditional plans to ask about cost, three
times as likely to choose a less expensive treatment option,
and chronic patients were 20% more likely to follow treament
regimes carefully. However, these consumer-driven plans can
cause consumers, especially those less wealthy and less educated,
to avoid getting needed health care because of the cost burden
and the inability to make informed choices. Also, those with
chronic conditions like diabetes are at a disadvantage since
the high annual deductible (typically around $3,000-$4,000)
doesn't allow them to save money in their accounts.
Physicians' and Patients' Online Preferences
Virtually all US physicians use the Internet for professional
information, and 83% of them say the Internet is essential
to their practice. However, two-thirds of doctors do not communicate
with their patients online - with the primary reason being
concerns about liability.
In a patient survey, more than one-quarter of respondents
said they would be willing to pay extra to get same-day appointments
and electronic access to their medical records and test results.
Interest in other online tools is detailed in the following
chart.
Workers Looking for New Jobs
More than four in 10 workers (41%) are looking for new jobs,
including 17% who are actively looking and 24% who are passively
looking (posting a resume online that wasn't for a specific
job, or listening to a job offer that comes their way).
Men (60%) are more likely than women (52%) to think it will
be easy for them to find a new job. Men are also more likely
to have been approached by a recruiting company or hiring
manager within the prior year (36% vs. 28%).
Specifically, managers (64%) think it would be easy to find
a new job, compared to 48% of non-managers. However, managers
(15%) are less likely than non-managers (19%) to be actively
looking, as well as passively looking (21% vs. 26%). One reason
for this difference is that managers typically feel more valued
by their companies (72% vs. 56%).
C-Level Executive Turnover
Corporate suite turnover continues at a rapid pace for the
top US companies as well as other influential businesses throughout
the world. In the first quarter of 2008, management turnover
increased 55% for CEOs, 11% for CFOs and 10% for other C-level
management compared to the prior year. Similar increases were
reported for 2007 and 2006. The main factors behind these
record high numbers include corporate performance as it's
related to the executives' responsibilities; growing domestic
and international competition; and increasing market instability.
Loss of Baby Boomer Workers
In the next five years, 40% of Baby Boomers are expected
to retire, resulting in a costly skilled labor shortage for
US manufacturers.
A 2008 survey of 100 senior manufacturing executives representing
companies with $10 million to $1 billion revenue was conducted.
Eighty-one percent of respondents said they would be affected
by the shortage, estimating this will cost them an average
$52.2 million each. The cost is higher for companies with
more than $1 billion in annual revenue, where 44% say the
workforce shortage will run $100 million over five years.
Corporate Blogging Down
In a recent survey of 189 business-to-business marketers,
53% said blogs were either marginal or irrelevant in their
2008 marketing strategy. Looking back, 36 companies started
corporate blogs in 2006 with the number falling to 19 new
blogs in 2007. This year, only three new blogs were launched
in the first quarter.
Blog marketing experts suggest that these marketers give
corporate blogging another try by polishing voice on other
public forums first, becoming a resource rather than simply
promoting the brand, and finding a way to fill a unique niche
with their customers.
Bullets
- Of US adult bloggers, 69.7% are white, 20% are Hispanic,
12.2% are African-American and 3.7% are Asian.
- Most wealthy adults (57%) - defined as those with income
over $150,000 - are more likely to consider a brand or product
if they perceive it to be socially responsible.
- There are 1,700 high schools (regular and vocational)
in the US in which 60% of students don't graduate. Utah
is the only state that doesn't have a school with a dropout
rate this high.
- While there are higher college enrollment rates (69% in
2005, up from 47% in 1973) college graduation rates have
stayed the same at 66% of attendees. Between 1996 and 2006,
28 million Americans became college dropouts.
- According to the Pew Research Center, Americans in 2007
(48%) were more likely than in 1998 (26%) to say that there
is a divide between "haves" and "have nots" in the US.
- There are about 1 million pay phones in the US today,
down from 2.6 million in 1998.
- Gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered Americans (75%)
are more likely than heterosexuals (59%) to spend more than
eight hours online per week.
- Online shopping cart abandonment rates dropped to 52%
in 2007, compared to 60% in 2006.
- The majority of couples (60%) say they want to spend their
honeymoon in a tropical location. Other preferred settings
are the city (23%), the mountains (8%), a winter locale
(3%), a safari (3%), a backpacking trip (2%) and a golf
trip (1%).
- Sales of music albums dropped to 500.5 million units in
2007, down 15% from 2006. Online album sales rose 2.4% to
30.1 million units.
- More than one-half of those shopping for a mobile phone
(55%) say it's important that their next phone have better
connectivity to other devices. This includes 51% who want
it to have the ability to store and view photos, and 45%
who want easier access to the Internet.
- The proportion of print material read online (such as
online versions of newspapers or magazines) rose to 23.2%,
up from 19.3% in 2006.
- Most Americans (62%) think companies don't care much about
their needs, up from 52% in 2004. Two-thirds (67%) say marketers
care more about selling products than helping the customers,
up from 58% in 2004.
- Spending on email marketing will increase to $2.1 billion
in 2012, up from $1.2 billion in 2007 with one-half spent
on messages to retain customers.
- The average age at which Americans become a grandparent
is 48.
- One-half of people aged 18-64 (51%) pay at least some
attention to advertisements in newspapers. In comparison,
only 27% of people pay at least some attention to television
ads. The ads run on broadcasts of live professional sports
(32.9%) and local newscasts (30.9%) receive the most attention.
- Overall, online video ads get positive viewer reactions:
32% think they are innovative, 30% say they are fun, 26%
call them unique and 24% think they are made for people
like them. However, 36% say they can be annoying.
- Women aged 45-54 (55%) are more likely than men the same
age (38%) to make an impulse purchase online based on a
sale, rebate or offer of free shipping. Men and women both
think it's important to purchase items from a well-known
site or brand (34%) and 46% say that a retailer's website
needs to be professional looking.
- Some 23% of Latinos say they are influenced to buy something
by watching television, compared with 19% of the total US
population. Hispanic-Americans are also 44% more likely
than the total US population to be influenced by online
advertisements.
- More than 10 million Americans visited a psychotherapist
in 2004, the most recent year for which data is available.
They spent $9 billion, up 40% since 1997.
- More than one-half of grandparents (56%) has talked with
their oldest grandchild about drug and alcohol use, with
86% feeling very comfortable doing so.
- Some 70% of couples who have a partner who snores sleep
in separate rooms. Thirty-two percent of these say the snoring
is ruining their relationship and sex life.
- Americans' healthcare spending averages $4,500 per person
annually and Americans have an average life expectancy of
77 years. In comparison, Japanese spend $2,000 per person
and have a life expectancy of 81 years.
- The US ranks last among 19 developed countries in avoiding
preventable deaths.
- One-third of Americans say they are under extreme stress.
- The US market for medical cell-phone applications (used
to transmit medical images such as EKGs and brain scans
from remote locations) is expected to rise from $111.8 million
in 2007 to $276 million in 2011.
- The majority of Americans (59%) currently read food product
labels, with the most common reason being they are trying
to eat healthy (79%). More than one-half (59%) read to be
conscious of what is in their food, 49% read to determine
freshness, 45% are using labels to help them watch their
weight, and 41% are concerned about the source of the ingredients.
- In a recent Forbes.com survey, 67% of C-level executives
said the Internet is their primary source of business information.
This is up 37% since 2004. The survey also showed that the
number of C-level executives citing newspapers as their
main source of business information has decreased 36% since
2004.
- Hawaii (25%) and New York (24%) have the highest proportions
of workers who belong to unions. The national average is
12%.
- Companies most often give employees gift cards (42%) as
end of year bonuses, followed by cash gifts (37%) and time
off (24%).
- A May 2008 survey shows that marketing and finance departments
within companies are now working together more closely to
measure the impact of marketing efforts. Some 33% of respondents
reported "full cooperation and an open dialog" between marketing
and finance in establishing metrics and methodologies for
measuring marketing ROI, up from 22% in 2007.
- Nearly one-half of high-earning managers (45%) say they
are too tired to talk to their spouse or partner after a
long day at work.
- Job hunters (42%) most commonly take jobs in their current
city, while 36% take jobs in different cities, 20% in different
states and 2% in another country.
- Nearly all consumers (99%) trust online user reviews of
products and services. Some 62% read them, though only 32%
of retailers offer reviews on their websites.
- Most Americans (82%) think that national and multinational
corporations have too much influence over government, with
61% saying that influence is negative. About 70% say that
corporations are more powerful than government, and 67%
say the government should be more aggressive in regulating
corporations.
|
