Internet Users in the USA

There is no question that the Internet is now a mainstream medium. In 2009, the US Internet population will grow to nearly 200 million users, or 65% of the total population. By 2013, 221 million people will be online, nearly 70% of the population. Market Research.com found the demographics of the US Internet population are evolving to reflect the offline population. More women are coming online, and so are more users ages 35 and older.  Daily Internet usage among nearly all demographic groups is climbing. Average time spent online by US adults shot up to 14 hours per week in 2008, compared with 11 hours in 2007. Nearly two-thirds of adults claim they go online every day, the majority for more than one hour.  The Net is becoming an affordable marketing, advertising and public relations tool to reach a wider audience. The key is to use it wisely, target the right audience and build a relationship with the user. B2B buying is all about building trust and eliminating risk. It's pretty difficult to build trust with someone you've never met. That's not to say that electronic communication isn't effective, but the social foundations have to be built first and preferably in person. Research has shown that on Facebook, the vast majority of close "friends" that people keep are all people they know and have met face to face.  Look at online as a way to extend and leverage those face to face encounters, but don't fall into the trap of thinking a cold mouse is a substitute for a warm handshake.