The Pew Internet and American Life Project released a report yesterday, “A Portrait of Early Internet Adopters: Why People First Went Online and Why They Stayed.” The report confirms a lot that we already know - people originally went online for personal reasons, social networking in some form has always been an important component of the Internet experience, and the Internet is the first source when people need information to help them solve problems. Two other elements of the report jumped out at me though.

They talk about social networking as nothing new, which I completely agree with, but they talk about it in the context of early Internet technologies such as bulletin board systems or Usenet. I think it is important to remember that social networks have always existed, and continue exist both online and off. Participating in my quilt guild or local kayaking club are both social networks that exist primarily offline, just as my twitter or facebook communities are online social networks. It is because social networks have always been an integral part of society that online social networks are so dominant now - they allow you to participate in more targeted and relevant communities and expand your reach like never before. This isn’t new, but rather an enhancement.

The second point that jumped out at me was around the personal connection that early adopters of the Internet feel as compared to early adopters of other technology revolutions. As opposed to other technology innovations, (TV, automobiles, and telephone are used in the report), Internet adopters see themselves more as co-creators instead of simply users. I tried to think of another technology revolution that could say the same, users as co-creators, and couldn’t come up with one. Interesting stuff…

There are a lot of different studies that measure technology use and impact. At Burson-Marsteller we have our own e-fluentials series which we’ll be talking more about soon as we have some new studies coming out. In the meantime, however, check out the Typology Groups quiz from the Pew Internet & American Life Project. You answer a few questions about the devices you own and the type of activities you participate in online, and then get a ranking on your typology group. The options start from the bottom with those that are “off the network” which Pew indicates is 15% of the population. These are the folks living in caves with no Internet, no mobile phone, and a heavy reliance on traditional media. At the top of the spectrum are “omnivores” which are 8% of the population. These folks are wired to the max and go beyond accessing information online to truly participating and expressing themselves. Of course, there are all sorts of options in between. It would be interesting to have insights on the collective influence of each group on the others, but the quiz itself was interesting too.

What is your typology group, and what does it mean for how you communicate?

I was surprised to read e-Marketer’s article today titled, “Who Doesn’t Use the Internet?” The article references Pew Internet & American Life Project report on Information Searches That Solve Problems, and details that 24% of American’s don’t have Internet access.  This is critical for marketers to be aware of.  As important as integrating digital into marketing campaigns is, it is also critical that marketers understand where digital won’t work and allocate efforts appropriately to reach an entire audience. The Pew report identifies those with the least access being the ones who are less affluent, less educated, and older.  That has implications for specific industries, most notably health care, as older Americans with less money often are most in need of health-related news and information. I think there are also implications for government agencies who continue to rely very heavily on the Internet to distribute public education materials.
Have a look, it is a quick but good read and provides demographic details on those not online.