Americans make room for TV and the Internet by overlapping usage

As a whole, advertising messages are on multiple screens that are all vying for Americans’ attention.

As more Americans are embracing the various ways to access media, research companies are tracking the rate at which this is actually happening.

According to MediaPost, The Nielsen Company completed a Three Screen Report which documented people’s media consumption. Results showed that Americans increased their multitasking habits during the last quarter of 2009. In fact, there was a 35% rise, from the previous year, in viewers who accessed the Internet while watching TV.

An interesting finding is that the increase occurred within the last half of 2009. To show comparison, in December 2008, persons who engaged in TV and used the Internet simultaneously at least once per month at home spent approximately two hours and 36 minutes doing so. In June 2009, that amount only increased to two hours and 39 minutes. After the spike took place, the time spent went up to three hours and 30 minutes in December 2009.

As a whole, advertising messages are on multiple screens that are all vying for Americans’ attention. As Americans’ learn to multitask in the congested media environment, it is vital for your campaign to stand out amongst the group. Being on TV and online at the same time can help keep your message present in front of your audience. Or, being creative by driving traffic to your website through TV advertisements can help keep your viewer engaged.

Be sure to visit Ruth Burke & Associates’ blog to find the latest in media news and receive helpful tips to make your advertising campaign successful...