93,394 people surveyed in Q2 2018 considered themselves “second-screeners”. This being defined as someone who when they last watched TV were using, at the same time either; their desktop PC, e-reader, laptop PC, mobile phone or tablet device. This was 83% of the total survey group which comprised of 16-64 year olds across 44 Countries.
Who are we talking about here?
If we focus on Europe (the infographic has insight for all continents) then:
| Age group | Mobile | Laptop/PC |
|---|---|---|
| Generation Z | 73% | 37% |
| Millennials | 64% | 35% |
| Generation X | 49% | 31% |
| Baby Boomers | 31% | 29% |
Within the UK, in 2018:
- 90% of adults in the UK were recent internet users
- 99% of 16-34 years olds were recent internet users
Based on the UK population projections calculated in 2016 the UK population of 16-64 year olds is now:
- 20,783,943 men
- 20,854,788 women
So, there are approximately 37,474,858 UK internet users.
Based on the trend from the survey that would mean that
There are 31,104,132 active second-screeners in the UK.
Assuming that the European second-screening percentages are very close to the UK usage we can estimate that there is a captive audience of potential customers second-screening:
| Age group | Mobile | Laptop/PC |
|---|---|---|
| Generation Z 16 – 20s |
73% 2,726,006 |
37% 1,381,674 |
| Millennials 21 – 34s |
64% 7,936,337 |
35% 4,340,184 |
| Generation X 35 – 53s |
49% 8,136,557 |
31% 5,147,618 |
| Baby Boomers 54 – 64s |
31% 2,758,606 |
29% 2,580,632 |
Which Devices?
It will not surprise anyone to hear that mobile phones are the most heavily used second-screen or that mobile second-screening has grown from 51% to 73% of internet users from 2013 to 2018. A perhaps more interesting insight is that the percentage of internet users second-screening with a laptop has declined from 49% in 2013 to 34% in 2018. Tablet second-screening has stayed fairly stable going from 23% of internet users in 2013 to 21% in 2018.
Tablet Second-Screeners
Whilst this is the lowest share of the second-screening market it is certainly not an audience to be overlooked. 21% of all internet users are second-screening on tablets, which (percentages holding true) is a cool 7,869,720 people in the UK. When you discover that “Tablet second-screeners are the most likely to research products while watching TV (nearly 4 in 10 do)” you can see that this is a prime opportunity for eCommerce digital marketers.
Doing What?
The survey collected a whole wealth of activities which users said they often engage in whilst second-screening. I am just picking out the ones which are most pertinent to digital marketers.
- 51% use social networks
- 38% read emails
- 32% read the news
- 28% search for products to buy
- 24% search for related information to what they are watching
What does this mean for Digital Marketers?
Clearly there is a big opportunity to reach consumers online in the evenings and at the weekends whilst they are watching TV. Layering their second-screening habits with your understanding of your target customers behaviours will enable you to create a multi-platform digital marketing strategy which enables you to create new touch-points with potential customers when they are most primed to make buying decisions. Read my blogpost on creating an integrated multi-platform eCommerce advertising strategy or get in touch for a free digital strategy session.
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