Want to launch a business, an e-commerce website or an app? Before you start, it is necessary to understand the psyche of the modern consumer and his favorite place to do anything – the Internet.
Analyze some internet usage statistics and you will see behavioral patterns and trends online.
What are some of the most visited websites online? What activities do people enjoy the most? Let’s take a look at some of the most popular activities of 2024 online:
1. Communication
In many ways the origins of the Internet are tied with our need to communicate with one another, anytime and anywhere. Back in the 1950s and 60s computers were not connected to other machines. They were designed to crack codes and merge intelligence data, but scientists were trying to understand how to link computers to communicate, as they were weak to tackle attack and were accessible to few people only.
Once the internet became popular in the 1990s, the invention of email, blogging and instant messaging enabled the internet to become one of the most used modes of communication we have.
2. Email
Email was one of the first primary uses of the internet to communicate. In fact, email had reached such heights of popularity in the 90s that there is an entire film dedicated to the joys of receiving an email (You’ve Got Mail).
As per Statista the number of email users globally amounted to 3.9 billion in 2019 and is expected to grow up to 4.3 billion users in 2024.
3. Social media
If email captured our imagination in the 90s then it was social media that reigned supreme in the mid-2000s. Sites like Myspace and Facebook revolutionized the social aspect of the Internet. By 2010 there were numerous social media and networking channels and it had become a worldwide phenomenon.
So much that, the average person spends 116 minutes each day using social media. 74 percent of people use Facebook on a daily basis. Most of us relies on these social platforms to stay up to date with the trending issue, products and viral news. People tend to follow celebrities, business tycoons, stylist, authors and more in order to stay up to date with their actions, latest product launch, tie ups etc.
4. Instant Messaging
One more form of online communication is instant messaging. Many of us remember the AOL messenger AIM and ICQ. Today IM is offered on a plethora of platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and WeChat.
According to one study, there are more than 7 billion instant messaging accounts in the world. WhatsApp has the largest share – approximately 1.6 billion monthly users, whereas Facebook Messenger has 1.3 billion.
5. Search
Searching is one of the most popular reasons why people use the internet, after communication.
Today, with multiple search engines, libraries, portals and resources people can virtually find anything that they are looking for.
From news to product reviews, medical information school research to finding a job, people cannot do without searching and it remains one of the most popular activities online. People tend to look for every possible details about the product by reading reviews, user’s experience about using it, their advice for other buyers etc. before they make their decision to buy it.
People used run to the doctor for any small change they feel, now they tend to look for the cause, how to prevent it from happening, possible home remedies and more information by searching on the internet.
6. Entertainment
The internet has made it possible to amuse ourselves whether we are on a long flight, commuting from work or camping in a remote area. Just the sheer amount of options for entertainment available online has disrupted the entertainment industry.
From reading, researching, watching movies and shows to watching cat videos, there is much fun to be had online if you know where to look.
Some of the main activities that people use the Internet for in 2024 include watching video, listening to podcasts, music and radio and online gaming.
Did you know that Netflix users spend about 1 billion hours per week watching content? Or that there are more than 1 billion YouTube videos watched every day?
Today, 75 percent of the music industry’s revenue is from online streaming compared to only 12 percent that of physical copies.
Gaming and casinos online are not far behind when it comes to spending time on the internet. People who play video games spend an average of seven hours and seven minutes each playing these games.
The online gambling market has risen due to fast internet speeds and the option to play with real money. In recent years, online gambling services such as NetBet have also innovated much and included many other features on their app/website like social media platforms, ability to pay with virtual currency etc.
In terms of market share, the gambling industry is segmented into betting, casino online, poker, lottery, bingo and other options.
It is forecasted that the global online gambling market will grow by USD 114.21 billion during the 2024-2024 forecast period.
7. Shopping
Consumers have started spend more and more online than ever before. The ratio of online spending has tripled over last 10 years.
Amount being spent online has amplified from a monthly average of 4.9% back in 2008 to 19.2% in 2019. Meaning that nearly 19 cent of every dollar was spent online in 2019, the highest annual ratio reported yet.
This growth may be supported by the fact that more and more people are using the internet. Internet access data shows that internet usage all over the world is also at an all-time high. This coincides with the percentage of people using the internet to shop online. The ratio of daily use of internet has grown to whooping 87% in 2019, from the 49% what was reported in 2008.
Other popular uses of the internet include work. The internet has made remote work a reality and many are making the most of their time by upskilling their talent and making the most of the Internet.
