A few weeks ago I wrote about the online habits of our oldest generations, so I thought it was time to turn to our younger generations to understand teens and technology.
The Pew Research Center recently released a study titled Teens and Technology 2013. One of the main takeaways from this survey of 802 youth ages 12-17, and their parents, is that teens are trending toward “cell-mostly” use of the internet faster than adults.
The study found one in four teens access the internet primarily through their smartphone (about 37% of all teens own a smartphone). This outpaces adults, of whom 15% report “cell-mostly” internet access. And, about three-quarters of teens surveyed said they access the internet on their smartphone, tablet or other mobile device at least some of the time.
Another interesting finding from the Pew report: Teenage girls are by far bigger mobile users than their male counterparts: 34% percent of girls age 14-17 as compared to 24% of boys in the same age range. Will this trend continue as these young people age?
Marketers will certainly take notice of these results. As this generation moves into the young adulthood, they will take these habits with them, which will affect the way they get information, shop and connect with the world.
Teens are also early adopters of mobile apps, especially messaging apps such as SnapChat or MessageMe. Some industry watchers predict Facebook, which currently claims the top spot as most-used app, will take a backseat to these up-and-coming apps. Time will tell if these apps have staying power, yet it’s a trend worth following. It’s also worth considering whether these platforms are a viable way to connect with these young consumers.
High school graduation is immediately on the horizon for many of these teens, followed by some kind of post-secondary education, whether it’s higher ed or a trade. Recruiters/admissions officers would do well to consider their target audience as mobile users.
As mobile technology – and our teens – grow and change, we will have to discern what is a fad and what becomes habit.
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