Canadian Internet Use
As the use of the Internet continues to grow and more people turn to it as an information resource, many companies and institutions are wondering if online advertising is the way to go. This still seems to be an under-utilized area, as there are many questions remaining about the effectiveness of online advertising. The main questions circulating are how many Canadians actually use the Internet and what are they using it for? This article will aim to clear up some of the common questions regarding Internet use in Canada.
The first question to address is who is using the Internet? According to the According to the 2005 Canadian Internet Use Survey released by Stats Canada, 67% of Canadian adults used the Internet in 2005 and of these users, 68% used the Internet for personal, non-business reasons. Furthermore, 61% of Canadian households have access to the Internet and the number continues to grow in major urban centres. The household usage rate gets as high as 77% in the cities of Ottawa and Calgary. The largest percent of Internet users in Canada live in the provinces of Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia respectively.
Of the Internet users in 2005, 84% used it for general browsing and locating information and 43% used it for education-related purposes. Additionally, 41% of users made an online purchase in 2005 (Statistics Canada - E-Commerce). This means that not only are a large number of Canadians using the Internet as a source of information, such as locating a school to attend, but they are also comfortable with releasing personal information online, such as filling out an inquiry form to be contacted at a later time.
The Canadian Internet Project
The Canadian Internet Project recently released the Canadian Internet Use Report. This study revealed that a large number of Internet users are young adults. Shockingly, almost 90% of Canadian Internet users are between the ages of 18-24 years old! This is great news for an educational institution, as most schools target this age group. With such high usage numbers, it becomes increasingly clear that the Internet is an effective medium for advertising. It can also be speculated that as this Internet-savvy generation ages, their children will continue to follow in the same trends, making online advertising a valuable long-term strategy.
The Canadian Internet Use Report also revealed not only what Canadians are using the Internet for, but what their perceptions are regarding the usefulness of information collected. For the average Internet user in Canada, two-thirds of their time is spent collecting information and conducting research and the majority of their time is spent on information-oriented sites. Sixty-two percent of users rank the Internet as their highest source of information, with magazines and radio being the lowest. It has also been shown that Internet users spend less time with traditional media, meaning that an online presence is that much more effective.
Contrary to popular conceptions of the Internet, it used more for locating information than for entertainment purposes. The Canadian Internet Use Report indicates that twice the amount of time is spent on collecting information and research rather than finding entertainment. In addition, 81% of Internet users believe that over half the material they read is reliable and accurate.
Why Internet Statistics Are Important To You
So what does this all amount to for a company or institution considering online advertising? It can be seen that the Internet is an important resource for a majority of Canadians looking for information, especially among young users who fall within the demographic for most educational institutions.
Not only is the Internet growing in importance but as it does, users are spending less time with traditional media such as newspapers, magazines, and radio, making these advertising initiatives less effective. Finally, these users are comfortable in releasing personal information online and view many informational sites as reliable and accurate, especially when seen as an authority on the subject at hand.
It can be concluded that a significant number of Canadians, especially young adults, will turn to the Internet as an educational resource. They will be accessing informative web sites that offer relevant and accurate information that can lead them to make a decision as to what school to attend. This means it is important for educational institutions to gain an online presence now. With Internet use numbers like these, one can quickly see the importance of establishing an online presence with a high-ranking web site.
Article Sources
Statistics Canada (2006). Canadian Internet Use Survey. The Daily. Retrieved November 10, 2006, from http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/060815/d060815b.htm
Statistics Canada (2006). E-Commerce: Shopping on the Internet . The Daily. Retrieved November 10, 2006, from http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/061101/d061101a.htm
Caron, A., Fletcher, F., & Zamaria, C. (2005). Canada Online: A comparative look of Internet users and non-users in Canada and the world (Electronic Version). Canadian Internet Project. Retrieved November 10, 2006, from http://www.cipic.ca/en/documents/Canada%20Online%20Final%20English%20Version%2010302005.pdf
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Posted January 30, 2007
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