Hearst digital:
We Know Women Online
Methodology
Online Survey
Ran 7th July to 6th August
getlippy
Cosmopolitan
handbag
allaboutyou
Sample 4566
40 questions across 5 key insight areas
NetDoctor
Objectives of this research
1. Is online an important touch point for women?
2. Does online influence women in their choices / attitudes?
3. How important are social media activities to women?
4. How important is the role of environment to women?
5. Does online influence brand preference / pre-disposition?
Addressing the objectives
1. Is online an important touch point for women?
2. Does online influence women in their choices / attitudes?
3. How important are social media activities to women?
4. How important is the role of environment to women?
5. Does online influence brand preference / pre-disposition?
Who is she?
86% are 20-55
71% in long-term
relationships
44% have children
Women’s Internet usage - by age
The large majority (85%) use the Internet daily, with most going online more
than once a day. The 25 – 34 age group are the most frequent users.
Q3. How frequently do you use the internet? – n= 4560
The Internet is enhancing
women’s lifestyles
Q5. To what extent do you agree with the following statements? (Strongly agree / agree) - n= 4527
For online women the Internet is No1
From a list of selected
media, the Internet
emerged as the most
important overall in these
women’s lives
Internet
7
6.51
6
5
Posters
TV
4
6.09
3
1.40 2
1
3.03
0
Cinema
4.62
Magazines
4.34
4.56
Newspapers
Radio
Mean ranking score, where 8=most
important and 1=least important.
Q6 Please rank the following in order of importance in your life. - n= 4439
Types of website visited by
women
The main websites visited are magazines, free email providers and
social networks, with women 16-34 more likely to visit free email
providers and social network sites. Women 16-24 are least likely to visit
price comparison, e-commerce and newspaper websites.
Q17. Which of the following types of websites do you visit? (Select all that apply) – n= 4533
Types of website visited by
women
Visits to video sharing sites show very wide variation, with propensity
to visit decreasing as age increases. The same visiting pattern is
observed for recruitment / career sites.
Q17. Which of the following types of websites do you visit? (Select all that apply) – n= 4533
Addressing the objectives
1. Is online an important touch point for women?
2. Does online influence women in their choices / attitudes?
3. How important are social media activities to women?
4. How important is the role of environment to women?
5. Does online influence brand preference / pre-disposition?
Does online influence women in
their choices / attitudes?
The Internet is the most widely used medium for most activities, being by
far the main medium for researching topics.
Q7. Please indicate which media you use for each of the following activities. (Select all that apply) – n=4516
They love to shop online
 97% have
purchased goods
or services online
 With 70% having
made a purchase
within the last two
weeks
Products researched online
Holidays and travel are the products most likely to be researched
online followed by electrical / household goods and gifts for friends
and family.
Q9. Which of the following products do you research or buy online? – n= 4451
Products purchased online
Films / books / music, event tickets, gifts, and clothes / accessories
are the products most likely to be purchased online.
Q9. Which of the following products do you research or buy online? – n= 4451
Benefits of shopping online
Benefits of online shopping
Percentage
The Internet allows to compare prices before I
purchase
84%
The Internet allows me to research products
before I purchase things
83%
It saves me time
74%
I save money when I shop online
65%
More choice and variety of things to buy
62%
Q11. Which of the following do you see as the benefits of shopping online? (Select all that apply)– n= 4547
What do women do online
For virtually each activity the tendency to engage online decreased as age
increased. This was particularly apparent for downloading music as well
as the other two most common activities of downloading / sending
photos and watching TV / video online.
Q24. Which, if any, of the following do you do online? (Select all that apply) – n= 4539
Addressing the objectives
1. Is online an important touch point for women?
2. Does online influence women in their choices / attitudes?
3. How important are social media activities to women?
4. How important is the role of environment to women?
5. Does online influence brand preference / pre-disposition?
Web 2.0 – by age
While the proportions using Wikipedia, instant messaging and social
network applications decrease as age increases, usage of online forums
and RSS feeds shows relatively little variation by age.
Q23. Do you use any of the following? - n= 4543
Social network usage – by age
Facebook has by far the highest penetration among women 16-34,
while Friends Reunited ranks first among women 45 or over.
Q20. Please indicate if you are a member of, or visit, the following social networks.
Q20. Please indicate if you are a member of, or visit, the following social networks.
Frequency of using social networks – by age
72% of women use social networks. Of these, 46% use at least once a
day. There is considerable variation by age, with frequency of use
decreasing as age increases.
Q21. How frequently do you log on to your social network/(s)? - n= 3283
Reasons for using social networks – by age
Younger women are more likely to use social networking for multiple
activities. While the main reason 16 – 34 year olds use it is for
connecting with people, women aged 35 or above use it most often to
see what other people are doing.
Q22. For which of the following reasons do you use social networking? (Select all that apply) - n= 3260
Addressing the objectives
1. Is online an important touch point for women?
2. Does online influence women in their choices / attitudes?
3. How important are social media activities to women?
4. How important is the role of environment to women?
5. Does online influence brand preference / pre-disposition?
Frequency of using women’s
websites – by age
71%
of women visit women’s websites at least once a week, with
.
16-34 year olds visiting more frequently
Q12. How frequently do you visit women's websites (e.g. handbag.com, glamour.com, vogue.com, ivillage.com)? n= 4166
Main reasons for visiting women’s
websites – by age
Overall, the main reasons for visiting women’s websites were time out,
inspiration, relaxation and a ‘quick fix’. Inspiration and ‘quick fixes’
.
were
bigger drivers for women 16-34, with time out and relaxation
sought more by women 35 or over.
60%
50%
40%
16-24
30%
25-34
35-44
20%
45 or over
10%
0%
Time out (from a
task)
Inspiration
To get a quick fix
Relaxation
Indulges the woman
within
Information
gathering
Q13. What are your top three reasons for visiting women's websites? (Select up to three) - n= 4091
Q13. What are your top three reasons for visiting women's websites? (Select up to three) - n= 4091
Content preferences for women’s
websites - by age
There was considerable variation by age for all topics. Interest in food / recipes,
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX.
health,
and home inspiration rose as age increased. Conversely, interest in
beauty,
fashion, celebrity gossip, and hair inspiration increased as age
.
decreased.
Q14. Which of the following do you like to read about or participate in on women's websites? (Select all that apply) – n= 4106
Q14. Which of the following do you like to read about or participate in on women's websites? (Select all that apply) –
n= 4106
Content preferences for women’s
websites - by age
Apart from environmental issues, interest in all topics increased as age
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX.
decreased.
Variation in interest levels was particularly marked for love /
.
relationship and sex advice, with women 16-24 expressing particular
interest in these subjects.
Q14. Which of the following do you like to read about or participate in on women's websites? (Select all that apply) – n= 4106
Q14. Which of the following do you like to read about or participate in on women's websites? (Select all that apply) –
n= 4106
Attitudes towards types of
websites
There tended to be higher agreement with the statements in relation
to magazine websites, particularly regarding inspiration. Portals
emerged top in making life easier, with blogs clearly ranking lowest on
this measure.
Q19. To what extent do you agree with the following statements in relation to? (Strongly agree / agree)
Q19. To what extent do you agree with the following statements in relation to? (Strongly agree / agree)
Addressing the objectives
1. Is online an important touch point for women?
2. Does online influence women in their choices / attitudes?
3. How important are social media activities to women?
4. How important is the role of environment to women?
5. Does online influence brand preference / pre-disposition?
What makes women click on an
online advertisement
The two main reasons why women click on an online advert are offers
/ competitions and if they want to find out more about a product.
An offer / competition
63%
If I want to find out more about the
product
54%
If the brand is relevant to my lifestyle
39%
If someone has already recommended
the brand to me
34%
If the advertisement looks good
24%
If it is something new
22%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
Q28. Which of the following make you click on an online advertisement? (Select all that apply) – n= 4530
Q28. Which of the following make you click on an online advertisement? (Select all that apply) – n= 4530
Online advertising tests positively
The majority of women like to see reader offers and promotions
online, and state that they are more likely to respond to adverts
relevant to website content.
Q26. To what extent do you agree with the following statements? (Strongly agree / agree) – n= 4482
Q26. To what extent do you agree with the following statements? (Strongly agree / agree) – n= 4482
Relevance of advertising to
website
Half of the respondents would like advertising to be more relevant to
specific parts of the website, such as fashion advertising in the fashion
channel
Q27. Would you like to see advertising being more relevant in specific parts of the website e.g. fashion brands in the fashion channel? –
n=4520
Q27. Would you like to see advertising being more relevant in specific parts of the website e.g. fashion brands in the
fashion channel? – n=4520
Impact of online advertising
The main impact of online advertising on women’s behaviour is that it
encourages them to learn more about the brand
The main impact of online advertising on women’s behaviour is that it
encourages
them to learn stated
more about
the brand.
56%
of respondents
online
advertising encouraged
them to learn more about the brand
47% of respondents they are more likely to buy a brand
after seeing it advertised online
44% of respondents tend to feel more positive about the
brand if it advertised online
Q31. How often does online advertising affect the way you think and behave about the products or services that
are advertised? (Agree / sometimes) – n= 4470
Summary
 For online women the Internet is No1
 Online women find the Internet more important than any other medium
for:
 Researching topics
 Shopping ideas
 Inspiration
 The Internet does effect their choices and attitudes, however this is
reflective on their age
 Social media plays an active role in their Internet use. There are clear
trends when correlated against age, however some activities are ageless
 Magazine/women websites are held in high regard as a source of
inspiration
 Advertising in an environment that is relevant to these women, will lead
them to respond more favourably to your brand