First time research reveals how young people are consuming social media in South Africa

The 800,000 SA students that head back to campus this summer will be the most wired yet. 99% will use the Internet, and their time spent online will be measured in hours per day (3) -– not per week. And, access to the Internet will be the highest through cell-phones with 78% of students going online via mobile devices.The SA Student Social Media Report provides a snapshot of youth consumption of social media by analysing what SA students are doing online today. Social networking is an essential part of campus life. On many campuses, upward of 90% of students use social networking sites on a regular basis. So much so, that other traditional mediums such as TV, radio and print are being consumed less than usual. In light of their strong use of social networks, students are a key audience for online word-of-mouth marketing efforts. In addition, they are more likely than the rest of the population to use online video and user-generated content such as blogs. In fact, 1 in 3 students create groups online and have published their own blog. In November 2009, Student Village and Interact RDT conducted first time research studies into how young people are consuming social media in South Africa. 660 students were surveyed nationally, 80% of the respondents were interviewed face to face, and 20% of the responses came through online.

Key questions the "SA Student Social Media Report " report answered:-– How many students go online?-– PCvsMobile usage ?-– How do students spend their media time?-– Where do they go online to access social media ?

-– Which Brands stood out using social media ?

-And many others...

The figures and analysis in this blog are just a small fraction of the insight available from the research. Access the full research, which contains a much wider range of information: detailed facts, figures and insight that are crucial to understanding how young people are behaving.