Experiences across the digital divide

WOW, you use the Internet and that means you may be wealthy!

Actually, several surveys by the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Projects found key technology use differences between $75,000 plus households and those in lower-income settings. According to the study, “95% of Americans who live in households earning $75,000 or more a year use the internet at least occasionally, compared with 70% of those living in households earning less than $75,000. Even among those who use the internet, the well off are more likely than those with less income to use technology.” Of those 95% of higher-income internet users:

• 99% use the internet at home, compared with 93% of the internet users in lower brackets.
• 93% of higher-income home internet users have some type of broadband connection versus 85% of the internet users who live in households earning less than $75,000 per year. That translates into 87% of all those in live in those better-off households having broadband at home.
• 95% of higher-income households own some type of cell phone compared with 83% in households with less income.

While the percentage differences might not be glaring, they speak to a continued real digital divide.  Here are just a few more of the Pew findings regarding ownership of various types of technology:

• 79% of those living in households earning $75,000+ own desktop computers, compared with 55% of those living in less well-off homes.
• 79% of those living in higher-income households own laptops, compared with 47% of those living in less well-off homes.
• 70% of those living in higher-income households own iPods or other MP3 players, compared with 42% of those living in less well-off homes.
• 54% of those living in higher-income households own game consoles, compared with 41% of those living in less well-off homes.
• 12% of those living in higher-income households own e-book readers such as Kindles, compared with 3% of those living in less well-off homes.
• 9% of those living in higher-income households own tablet computers such as iPads, compared with 3% of those living in less well-off homes.

Have you considered the digital divide when you position marketing and technological experiences for your products and services?