Social media and video ‘the digital future’
The rapid growth of social networking and video sharing websites will continue to expand and become increasingly important to consumers and businesses, according to a new report.
The proportion of users who have watched TV programmes or video clips online is growing strongly, particularly in western countries such as the UK and the US, according to the Ipsos Insight study.
Social networking is predicted to continue its rising importance, with South Korea currently leading the way with 49 per cent of its population having visited a social networking site.
An estimated 30 per cent of South Koreans are believed to have an account with the country’s largest website, Cyworld; Brazil and China were ranked second and third, respectively, for visits to social media websites.
"In markets such as the US, where homes are saturated with televisions and DVD players, video content is a predominant part of consumers’ daily lives," said Brian Cruikshank, executive vice president at Ipsos Insight.
"The frequency of visitation to social networking websites globally implies that many internet users are no longer simply ‘trying out’ these sites, but rather adopting social-networking as a significant part in their evolving digital lifestyle," he added.
