Marketing research and insights news and information. This issue's keywords: content creation; spare time activities; personal data; smart home technology; travel plans
A survey by Nielsen, New York, shows that despite TV being a favorite spare time activity among all generations, 27 percent of respondents in Generation Z (ages 15 to 20) selected reading as a favorite activity, compared to 23 percent citing TV. Many other generations cited TV as their top activity, including Millennials (31 percent), Generation X (38 percent) and Baby Boomers (42 percent). The Silent Generation (aged 65 and over) listed reading as their top activity (42 percent), while Gen Z rated listening to music as their top activity (37 percent). Additionally, more Gen Z respondents chose reading over reviewing social media (17 percent) or playing video and online games (17 percent and 16 percent respectively). Traveling was found lower on the list for younger generations, selected by 12 percent of Gen Z, 18 percent of Millennials, 22 percent for both Gen X and Baby Boomers and 25 percent of Silent Generation respondents.
Many U.K. consumers lack trust in how their personal data is used, with 60 percent of U.K. consumers saying they are uncomfortable with sharing personal data and 14 percent saying they refuse to share any personal data at all, shows a report by U.K. research and development organization Digital Catapult. Many consumers cite a lack of openness and transparency for this distrust and many want to know how and when their data will be used. Sixty-five percent of consumers said they weren't sure whether data was being shared without their consent and nearly eight in ten believe the use of their data was for the organization's economic gain and not for their own benefit. Seventy-six percent said their biggest concern was having no control over how their data was shared or who it was shared with and 94 percent said they wanted more control over their data.
Seventy-three percent of marketers created more content in 2015 than they did in 2014, with about half (49 percent) of marketers rating their content as somewhat or very effective, according to a survey of marketers by New York technology company Contently. E-mail was selected as the most effective organic distribution channel and Facebook was the most effective paid distribution channel. Additionally, 30 percent of respondents said they don't have a tool or platform that can provide data on their content. Lead conversion and sales were cited as the most popular metric for measuring content success (cited by 32 percent), followed by social shares and likes (19 percent) and page views (15 percent). Forty-three percent of companies have at least two full-time employees dedicated to content marketing and 64 percent of marketers are creating 90 percent or more of their content in-house.
Many Americans are embracing smart home technology, with 28 percent already owning at least one smart home product and almost half of Millennials adopting the technology, according to a survey conducted by Coldwell Banker Real Estate, Madison, N.J., and San Francisco tech media brand CNET. Eighty-one percent of those currently using smart home technology say they would be more likely to buy a home if smart technology like connected lighting, thermostats, remote-access security and smart locks were already installed. Additionally, 87 percent of those who own it said the technology makes their lives easier and 57 percent said it saves them time, at an average of nearly 30 minutes per day. Forty-five percent of those who own smart home technology say it saves them an average of $1,100 a year. Of those who don't have smart home products, 44 percent said they would consider purchasing smart home technology if it cost less and 42 percent said they would consider purchasing it if it would save them at least $500 yearly on bills and household expenses.
A survey by Littleton, Colo., vacation provider Globus shows 97 percent of Americans say they feel they deserve to vacation and 91 percent wish they vacationed more. Twenty-four percent of respondents cited finances as an obstacle for travel, while 18 percent said health and family issues have gotten in the way; 44 percent said nothing gets in the way of travel plans and they make travel their No. 1 priority. A majority (93 percent) say they travel to experience places they've only read about, new cultures, food and more while 7 percent say they take vacation to relax. The study shows 56 percent of Americans place Europe at the top of their list of places to go, while 28 percent prefer exotic destinations like South America, Africa and South Pacific. Sixteen percent said they prefer to travel through North America. Lastly, 85 percent of respondents believe travel makes people happier and 70 percent say vacations make us better people.
These reports were compiled from recent issues of the Daily News Queue, a free e-newsletter digest of marketing research and insights news and information delivered each business morning. Not already in the Queue? Sign up here!