Nielsen Study Of Teen’s Media Use: All About Mobile
Consumer researcher Nielsen recently released highlights from their study of teen's use of media; and they report that kids are more heavily involved with mobile devices than ever, yet are talking less on the phone. They're also watching less tv than older folks and spending less time on the computer. In short, if you're trying to reach young people and you don't have a mobile strategy, you're missing out on their favorite media activities.
Kids Today: How the Class of 2011 Engages with Media is a quick take on teen's media use with a clear message that teens are much more focused on mobile media and communication than are older folks.
In particular, teens are the "heaviest mobile video viewers" watching 7 hours, 13 minutes of mobile video monthly in the last quarter of 2010. This is not only almost 3 hours more than the general population but it's higher than their time spent watching video on computers.
Though music videos aren't singled out, Nielsen's report for MIDEM earlier this year showed the under 20 to 24 segment watching more music video by computer than by mobile but overall watching more music videos than any older group. In addition, 24% of 20 to 24 year olds indicated that they would consider paying for mobile video downloads.
Though the MIDEM report did not include information on teens willingness to buy mobile content, the new report does show that teens are more receptive to mobile advertising than older folks.
Nielsen also noted that teens are much heavier users of texting services, in keeping with earlier reports, with teens 13 to 17 sending an "average of 3,364 mobile texts per month, more than doubling the rate of the next most active texting demo, 18-24 year olds".
Taken as a whole, younger generations are clearly continuing to intensify mobile usage and, given the current media device landscape, this process is unlikely to be near a plateau.
These varied bits of information suggest that mobile music strategies should include music videos, ad-supported sites/apps and marketing via text messages. New experimentation with paid mobile content for teens also seems in order. For those with access to deeper datasets, finding out the form in which such content is consumed, web vs. web app vs native app, and whether or not teens are even more receptive to paid content than are early 20-somethings would be a good next step.
Hypebot contributor Clyde Smith is a freelance writer and blogger. Flux Research is his business writing hub and All World Dance: World Dance News is his primary web project.
