• by Masha Geller , May 21, 2001

Initially, the web audience was composed of the young, affluent and well educated. That's changing.

According to The Media Audit, which for the last three years has been studying both online and traditional media in more than 80 markets, the U.S. web audience is still growing and diversifying with minorities and retirees clicking on in significant numbers.

According to their findings, although men age 18+ increased by 26% during the past three years, the group declined by more than 5% as a percentage of the total web audience. Women increased their presence on the web by 44% since l998 and now make up more than 48% of the total web audience.

Forty-four percent of African-American households are now on the web, an increase of 41% during the past three years. Among Hispanic households, 42% are now on the web, an increase of 45%. Asians were quick to embrace the web with over 63% logging on in l998 and more than 70% in 2000. That figure, 70%, exceeds the comparable figure for white households visiting the web, which is just over 58%.

Almost 25% of retired households are on the web. That represents an increase of 84% since l998. Households occupied by those age 50+, both retired and not retired, increased their presence on the web from almost 25% to more than 37%, an increase of more than 51% in three years.

More than 43% of homemakers are now on the web and that represents a three-year increase of 80%. Blue-collar workers increased from 29% in l998 to 44% in 2000, an overall increase of 52%.

Working women increased their presence by 37%, moving up from 46% in l998 to 63% in 2000. Working mothers recorded very similar increases, moving up from 44% in l998 to 63% in 2000, an increase of 43%. Single parents increased from 35% to 49%, an increase of 40%.

The new arrivals versus late arrivals to the web are most clearly reflected in the age and affluence classifications. The young were among the first to access the web and although their numbers are continuing to increase they are declining as a percent of the overall web audience. The same is true of the affluent.