Online Influentials Rely On the Internet Above All Other Media.

RoperASW/washingtonpost.com announced results of a study that identifies online “Influentials” and their attitudes towards media usage. The Influentials are a powerful group proven through 60 years of RoperASW research to be the 10% of the population that shapes the attitudes and behaviors of the other 90%.

The study of 3,206 washingtonpost.com visitors who met Roper’s definition of an Influential found they rely heavily on the Web. It is, in fact, the type of media used most frequently by them during the week. Importantly for marketers, a majority of these online Influentials say they would definitely recommend the Internet be used by advertisers to reach them.

Another critical finding for marketers is that online Influentials don’t just act alone on the information they receive — they are extremely active in passing it along to friends and acquaintances.

Key Findings of the Study Include:

The Internet is the #1 weekday media used by online Influentials:

Online Influentials spend more time using the Internet (excluding e-mail) than any other media during the week.
The Internet (56%) and Newspapers (56%) are the top media online Influentials would definitely recommend that advertisers use to reach them — leading the list of all the media sources queried.
The Internet is the top media source online Influentials use to research places to visit (86%) and what to buy (82%).
Online Influentials actively spread information and influence others:

Two-thirds of online Influentials (67%) either are asked for or forward advice and information about products and services.
Online Influentials who forward advice about products and services do so to between 5 and 20 individuals, depending upon category.
In previous research, RoperASW found that 82% of Influentials have Internet access, compared to 54% of the general population, establishing that the Internet is a key means of reaching this group. With 34% of its audience qualifying as Influentials, washingtonpost.com was able to provide a strong sample for this research.

“Offering a platform for capturing a significant number of online Influentials this study adds important information to our ongoing research about the media activities and attitudes of this group,” said Ed Keller, CEO, RoperASW. “The results also reinforce the critical role Influentials play in word-of-mouth marketing.”

“The Web is a powerful medium to get messages to the Influentials,” said Christopher M. Schroeder, CEO and Publisher of Washingtonpost.Newsweek Interactive. “The Web leads Influentials’ media usage during the week, and they rely heavily on the information they get online. Because Influentials play a key role in impacting everything from which tech products are hot to which politicians we elect, this research provides vital information for marketers.

For more information at http://www.roperasw.com