Email is at least somewhat popular with consumers, the older generations being particularly fond of it. But it pales beside social media, which now has 5.04 billion users worldwide and a growth rate above 5% judging by Digital 2024: Global Overview Report, a study by Meltwater.
Of 8.08 billion people on earth, 5.35 billion are now using the internet, 66.2% of the total global population. And the percentage has hit 97.1% in the U.S. But overall growth has slowed to 1.8%, perhaps because users have attained a “supermajority,” writes Simon Kemp, chief analyst, DataReportal.
However, 2.7 billion people are not connected, and adoption rates across Sub-Saharan Africa are below 50%, Kemp adds.
Meanwhile, 41.25 of internet users now own virtual reality devices, a 5.9% increase YoY. And smart-home device ownership now stands at 48.4%, reflecting a 3.6% growth rate.
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In addition, while mobile internet usage has slipped by 3.2%, it still has a 97.1% share.
Worldwide, the most popular types of websites and apps are:
Among the generations, email is used by 57.6% of people in the 55-64 age cohort and 52.6% of those ages 45-54. In contrast, it is utilized by 42.5% of consumers in the ages 16-24 group and 46.1% who are ages 25 to 34.
Younger people are more likely to discover new brands via social media. In contrast, middle-aged individuals rely primarily on search engines and boomers on TV.
But the main channels for online brand research are as follows:
Online shoppers are largely motivated by free delivery (50.6%), coupons and discounts (39.3%), easy returns policy (33.2%), simple online checkout (30.6%) and customer reviews (30.5%).
Finally, why do people use the internet at all? They turn to it for:
The full report can be found here.