Another Way The Rich Differ: They're Online Longer

In addition to being wealthier, thinner and having better handbags than everyone else, affluent Americans spend more time on the Internet.

And when they're online, they're searching instead of surfing.

According to a study on affluence and online activity by JupiterResearch, Americans with annual household income over $100,000 spend a median of 17 hours a week online, compared with 14 hours for everyone else. They also are more aware of advertising and are more active online.

A good chunk of their Internet time is focused on business rather than pleasure--including such functions as online banking, bill payment, stock trading and media engagement. The study found that 20% of affluent people visit Web sites dedicated to business compared with 11% of other folks, and 37% of affluent people did research for work online, compared with 27% of non-affluents.

Because the affluent are so focused on searching for information, most display ads don't work on this important demographic. "If you're marketing to affluents, it should be about search advertising and giving people resources so they can find information online rather than banner ads and pop-up ads," said Mark Best, analyst with JupiterResearch.

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Yesterday, the Internet Advertising Bureau reported that Internet ad revenues for 2006 reached an estimated $16.8 billion--a 34% increase from 2005. JupiterResearch figures show the U.S. market for paid search advertising online was $6.4 billion--while marketers spent $5.7 billion on display ads, which includes pop-ups and banners.

In lieu of those ad tactics, Best recommends that marketers target affluent consumers via paid search, product reviews posted on company Web sites and content on social media sites.

Speaking of social networking, it's in with the upscale crowd. The Jupiter study found 43% of affluents use instant messaging, compared with 36% of people with lesser incomes. A full 26% of affluents read blogs and 11% are blog-authors. Among non-affluent people, those figures are 22% and 6%, respectively.

Best suspects that affluent consumers spend more time online because they are more tech-savvy. While the wealthy score higher in all major online categories, it's worth noting this is not the case with adult-content and gaming Web sites.

In addition to the Internet, America's wealthier residents tend to spend more time on all types of media. Compared to people in the under-$100,000 household bracket, affluents spend five hours more per week listening to music and two hours more doing each of the following: chatting on cell phones, reading newspapers and tuning into the radio. And they spend an extra hour in front of the TV. Could it be they have more leisure time?

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